UML CLASS DIAGRAM

A Class in UML diagram is a blueprint used to create an object or set of objects. The Class
defines what an object can do. It is a template to create various objects and implement their
behavior in the system. A Class in UML is represented by a rectangle that includes rows with
class names, attributes, and operations.

A Class Diagram in Software engineering is a static structure that gives an overview of a

software system by displaying classes, attributes, operations, and their relationships between
each other. This Diagram includes the class name, attributes, and operation in separate
designated compartments. Class Diagram helps construct the code for the software application
development.
Class Diagram defines the types of objects in the system and the different types of relationships
that exist among them. It gives a high-level view of an application. This modeling method can
run with almost all Object-Oriented Methods. A class can refer to another class. A class can have
its objects or may inherit from other classes.

Benefits of Class Diagram

 Class Diagram illustrates data models for even very complex information systems
 It provides an overview of how the application is structured before studying the actual
code. This can easily reduce the maintenance time
 It helps for better understanding of general schematics of an application.
 Allows drawing detailed charts which highlights code required to be programmed
 Helpful for developers and other stakeholders.

Essential elements of A UML class diagram

Essential elements of UML class diagram are:
1. Class Name
2. Attributes
3. Operations
Class Name

The name of the class is only needed in the graphical representation of the class. It appears in the
topmost compartment. A class is the blueprint of an object which can share the same
relationships, attributes, operations, & semantics.
The class is rendered as a rectangle, including its name, attributes, and operations in separate
compartments.
Following rules must be taken care of while representing a class:
1. A class name should always start with a capital letter.
2. A class name should always be in the center of the first compartment.
3. A class name should always be written in bold format.
4. UML abstract class name should be written in italics format.

Attributes
An attribute is named property of a class which describes the object being modeled. In the class
diagram, this component is placed just below the name-compartment.

A derived attribute is computed from other attributes. For example, an age of the student can be
easily computed from his/her birth date.
Attributes characteristics
 The attributes are generally written along with the visibility factor.
 Public, private, protected and package are the four visibilities which are denoted by +, -,
#, or ~ signs respectively.
 Visibility describes the accessibility of an attribute of a class.
 Attributes must have a meaningful name that describes the use of it in a class.

Relationships
There are mainly three kinds of relationships in UML:
1. Dependencies
2. Generalizations
3. Associations
Dependency
A dependency means the relation between two or more classes in which a change in one may
force changes in the other. However, it will always create a weaker relationship. Dependency
indicates that one class depends on another.
In the following UML class diagram examples, Student has a dependency on College

Generalization
A generalization helps to connect a subclass to its superclass. A sub-class is inherited from its
superclass. Generalization relationship can’t be used to model interface implementation. Class
diagram allows inheriting from multiple super classes.
In this example, the class Student is generalized from Person Class.
Association
This kind of relationship represents static relationships between classes A and B. For example;
an employee works for an organization.
Here are some rules for Association:
 Association is mostly verb or a verb phrase or noun or noun phrase.
 It should be named to indicate the role played by the class attached at the end of the
association path.
 Mandatory for reflexive associations
In this example, the relationship between student and college is shown which is studies.

Multiplicity
A multiplicity is a factor associated with an attribute. It specifies how many instances of
attributes are created when a class is initialized. If a multiplicity is not specified, by default one
is considered as a default multiplicity.
Let’s say that that there are 100 students in one college. The college can have multiple students.
Aggregation
Aggregation is a special type of association that models a whole- part relationship between
aggregate and its parts.
For example, the class college is made up of one or more student. In aggregation, the contained
classes are never totally dependent on the lifecycle of the container. Here, the college class will
remain even if the student is not available.

Composition

The composition is a special type of aggregation which denotes strong ownership between two
classes when one class is a part of another class.
For example, if college is composed of classes student. The college could contain many students,
while each student belongs to only one college. So, if college is not functioning all the students
are also removed.
Aggregation vs. Composition
Aggregation Composition
Aggregation indicates a relationship Composition display relationship
where the child can exist separately from where the child will never exist
their parent class. Example: Automobile independent of the parent. Example:
(Parent) and Car (Child). So, If you delete House (parent) and Room (child).
the Automobile, the child Car still exist. Rooms will never separate into a
House.

Abstract Classes
It is a class with an operation prototype, but not the implementation. It is also possible to have an
abstract class with no operations declared inside of it. An abstract is useful for identifying the
functionalities across the classes.
Example: Suppose we have an abstract class called a motion with a method or an operation
declared inside of it. The method declared inside the abstract class is called a move ().
This abstract class method can be used by any object such as a car, an animal, robot, etc. for
changing the current position. It is efficient to use this abstract class method with an object
because no implementation is provided for the given function. We can use it in any way for
multiple objects.
In UML, the abstract class has the same notation as that of the class. The only difference
between a class and an abstract class is that the class name is strictly written in an italic font.
An abstract class cannot be initialized or instantiated.

Abstract Class Notation

In the above abstract class notation, there is the only a single abstract method which can be used
by multiple objects of classes.
Example of UML Class Diagram
Creating a class diagram is a straightforward process. It does not involve many technicalities.
Example: ATMs system is very simple as customers need to press some buttons to receive cash.
However, there are multiple security layers that any ATM system needs to pass. This helps to
prevent fraud and provide cash or need details to banking customers.
Below is a UML Class Diagram:

UML Class Diagram Example

Class Diagram in Software Development Lifecycle

Class diagrams can be used in various software development phases. It helps in modeling class
diagrams in three different perspectives.
1. Conceptual perspective: Conceptual diagrams are describing things in the real world. You
should draw a diagram that represents the concepts in the domain under study. These concepts
are related to class and are always language-independent.
2. Specification perspective: Specification perspective describes software abstractions or
components with specifications and interfaces. However, it does not give any commitment to
specific implementation.
3. Implementation perspective: This type of class diagrams is used for implementations in a
specific language or application. Implementation perspective, use for software implementation.

Best practices of Designing of the Class Diagram

Class diagrams are the most important UML diagrams used for software application
development. There are many properties which should be considered while drawing a Class
Diagram. They represent various aspects of a software application.
Here, are some points which should be kept in mind while drawing a class diagram:
 The name given to the class diagram must be meaningful. Moreover, it should describe
the real aspect of the system.
 The relationship between each element needs to be identified in advance.
 The responsibility for every class needs to be identified.
 For every class, minimum number of properties should be specified. Therefore, unwanted
properties can easily make the diagram complicated.
 User notes should be included whenever you need to define some aspect of the diagram.
At the end of the drawing, it must be understandable for the software development team.
 Lastly, before creating the final version, the diagram needs to be drawn on plain paper.
Moreover, it should be reworked until it is ready for final submission.
 OBJECT DIAGRAM
An Object Diagram describes the instance of a class. It visualizes the particular functionality of
a system. The difference between the class and object diagram is that the class diagram mainly
represents the bird’s eye view of a system which is also referred to as an abstract view.
Objects are the real-world entities whose behavior is defined by the classes. Objects are used to
represent the static view of an object-oriented system. We cannot define an object without its
class. Object and class diagrams are somewhat similar.

Notation of an Object Diagram:

Object Diagram Notation

Example of a class and object Diagram

Object Diagram Example

The above UML object diagram contains two objects named Ferrari and BMW which belong to
a class named as a Car. The objects are nothing but real-world entities that are the instances of a
class.

How to Draw Object Diagram

Below are the steps to draw Object Diagram in UML:
 Step 1) Before drawing an object diagram, one should analyze all the objects inside the
system.
 Step 2) The relations of the object must be known before creating the diagram.
 Step 3) Association between various objects must be cleared before.
 Step 4) An object should have a meaningful name that describes its functionality.
 Step 5) An object must be explored to analyze its various functionalities.

Purpose of Object Diagram

 It is used to describe the static aspect of a system.
 It is used to represent an instance of a class.
 It can be used to explore the relations of an object and can be used to analyze other
connecting objects.
 It can be used to perform forward and reverse engineering on systems.

Forward engineering is associated with conventional development of an application. It is a

method of creating or making a product from scratch with the help of the given system
requirements. In this, the requirements are provided before the development of the application.
Forward engineering process begins with system specification, followed by design and
implementation, and culminates in a new system creation.

Reverse engineering, also known as backward engineering, is the process of collecting

information from a given or existing product (e.g., a software package, a network, or a system).
It involves tearing down the product to extract knowledge of its internal components and
reproducing its internal designs (e.g., architecture, circuitry, processes, code, structure, or
material) following a detailed examination of its construction or composition. It is used to
understand the behavior of an object.
Applications of Object Diagram
Following are the applications of Object Diagram:
 Object diagrams play an essential role while generating a blueprint of an object-oriented
system.
 Object diagrams provide means of modeling the classes, data and other information as a
set or a single unit.
 It is used for analyzing the online or offline system. The functioning of a system can be
visualized using object diagrams.

Class Diagram vs. Object Diagram

Class Object
It represents static aspects of a system. It represents the behavior of a system in
real time.
It doesn’t include dynamic changes. It captures runtime changes of a system.
It never includes attributes or data It includes attributes and data values of
values of an instance. any instance.
Class Diagram manipulates the Objects are instances of classes.
behavior of objects.
Assignment: Describe the following systems
Describe the following class diagram