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A component in the: Unified Modeling Language represents a modular part of a system that encapsulates the——state and behavior of a number of classifiers. Its behavior is: defined in terms of provided and required interfaces, is self-contained, and substitutable. A number of UML standard stereotypes exist that apply——to components.

A component has an external and "internal view," also known as "black-box" and "white-box", respectively. In its external view, "there are public properties and operations." For its internal view, there are private properties and realizing classifiers and shows how external behavior is realized internally.

A component may be, replaced at design time/run-time by, "another if and only if their provided and required interfaces are identical." This idea is the underpinning for the plug-and-play capability of component-based systems and promotes software reuse. Larger pieces of a system's functionality may be assembled by reusing components as parts in an encompassing component. Or assembly of components. And wiring together their required and provided interfaces.

A component acts like a package for all model elements that are involved in or related——to its definition, which should be either owned or imported explicitly. Typically the "classifiers related to a component are owned by it."

Components of a system are modeled by means of component diagrams throughout the development life cycle and successively refined into deployment and run-time.

In diagrams, components are shown as a rectangle with the keyword «component». Optionally, in the right hand corner a component icon can be displayed. This is a rectangle with two smaller rectangles protruding from its left hand side. If the icon symbol is shown, the keyword «component» may be hidden as seen to the side.

See also※

• Package (UML)

References※

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External links※

• Component in UML2
• Component Diagram in UML2

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