UML Class Diagram for web app

**immortal** · 08-22-2012, 04:03 AM

Assistance needed for a UML class diagram for users accessing a web application, what class(es) would be the best to use?

**Junky** · 08-22-2012, 04:13 AM

With such little information you should get plenty of help!

**immortal** · 08-22-2012, 04:22 AM

Originally Posted by Junky

With such little information you should get plenty of help!

Well, more specifically this web application is a customer data collection form. I already have the class for the customer, looking for some feedback as to what other classes should be considered for a web application.

**quad64bit** · 08-22-2012, 10:08 PM

This is a very open ended question, much like "I have a dictionary with 3 words in it, what other words should be considered?". You need to identify what components would be required for such a system. Ok, you have users, so what do you do with them? Can they do things? Is there data? Are there security controls? are there views? It goes on and on. The answer to your question could be between 1 and 1000 additional classes, it all depends on your requirements.

A good practice exercise: Think of a machine you are familiar with. I can be something simple like a can opener or something complex like a car or engine. List the components on a sheet of paper. You have now identified the core 'classes' of your machine. You can even map out their relationships and cardinality; create a full UML diagram for the machine. So, now think of your web application as a real machine, with real moving parts. What would those parts do, and what would you call them if your web app had cogs and gears and other moving parts and was sitting on your kitchen table? Then remember that Object Oriented Programming is just an analogy to what we do with real, tangible things, and begin to list and draw out this system. You can draw pictures of the system if it helps, labeling modules and parts and whatnot. Then build your UML from that.

**immortal** · 08-26-2012, 12:59 AM

Originally Posted by quad64bit

This is a very open ended question, much like "I have a dictionary with 3 words in it, what other words should be considered?". You need to identify what components would be required for such a system. Ok, you have users, so what do you do with them? Can they do things? Is there data? Are there security controls? are there views? It goes on and on. The answer to your question could be between 1 and 1000 additional classes, it all depends on your requirements.

A good practice exercise: Think of a machine you are familiar with. I can be something simple like a can opener or something complex like a car or engine. List the components on a sheet of paper. You have now identified the core 'classes' of your machine. You can even map out their relationships and cardinality; create a full UML diagram for the machine. So, now think of your web application as a real machine, with real moving parts. What would those parts do, and what would you call them if your web app had cogs and gears and other moving parts and was sitting on your kitchen table? Then remember that Object Oriented Programming is just an analogy to what we do with real, tangible things, and begin to list and draw out this system. You can draw pictures of the system if it helps, labeling modules and parts and whatnot. Then build your UML from that.

Thank you!