UML Package Diagrams

ByWalter Wimberly

A package is a grouping of related UML elements, such as diagrams, documents, classes, or even other packages.

Each element is nested within the package, which is depicted as a file folder within the diagram. The elements are then arranged hierarchically within the diagram.

Package diagrams are commonly used to provide a visual organization of the layered architecture within a software system.

Benefits of a package diagram

A package diagram provides benefits to those looking to create a visualization of their UML project.

  • Packages provide a clear view of the hierarchical structure of the various UML elements. 
  • Package diagrams can simplify complex class diagrams into well-ordered visuals.
  • They offer valuable high-level visibility into large-scale projects and systems.
  • These visuals can be easily updated as systems and projects evolve.

Basic components of a package diagram

uml package symbol

A package is shown as a file folder. The package name is shown in the tab areal of the folder. It is used to group elements together based upon data, user interactions, and/or behaviors.

This is the most basic type of element in a package diagram.

The dependency arrow shows how packages are dependent upon one another.

Dependency Types

There are two main types of dependencies in UML package diagrams: access and imports. There are others, but they are not used as much in this class and include Usage, Abstraction, and Deployment.

Access

An access dependency means that one package needs to be able to access the second package. This can be needing to access some of it’s functions or data.

To help identify which packages needs access to one another <<Access>> is written above the line.

Imports

Putting <<Import>> above the line means that the package is being imported into the other package.

UML Package Diagrams was originally found on Access 2 Learn

Assistant Professor

Walter Wimberly is an Assistant Professor at a regional college in Tennessee, teaching Computer Science in the Software Engineering track. He works as a student advisor, oversees curriculum changes, develops new courses, and manages the advisory panel.
Walter taught full time for about 7 years, before going back into “industry” as a full stack Software Developer for a dozen years. There he focused on web based projects coding in JavaScript/jQuery and utilizing the Bootstrap CSS Framework on the front-end, and coding in PHP, ASP/ASP.Net, SQL on the back-end.

Since he loves teaching, he taught as an adjunct web and digital media classes for eight (8) years, while working in industry, and has since returned to teaching full time.

He has been married for over 25 years, and is father to several special needs boys. As such, he is working on some projects to help others who have special needs to be self-sufficient, and support the care givers of those with special needs. Check out his Autism blog for more info.

Similar Posts