Component diagrams are the second way to shows the physical architecture of a computer-based system. Together with deployment diagrams, they are geared expressly toward computer systems.
A component - as the main element in a such type of diagrams - is used to package other logical elements, and represents things that participate in the execution of a system. Components also use the services of another component via one of its interfaces. Usually, components are used to visualize logical packages of source code (work product components), binary code (deployment components) or executable files (executions components).
A component diagram usually shows components, interfaces and relationships among them.
If you need to learn how to create new diagrams in a project, or the techniques for placing elements and drawing links, consult the User's Guide topics found under " Working with Diagrams: Basic Diagram Techniques" in the Table of Contents. See Related Topics below.
Component diagrams most commonly contain:
Components
Interfaces
Relationships links:
Dependency
Realization
Association
Generalization
Component diagrams in Together use two kinds of relationships: dependency and realization (supports).
To group one or more logical elements of the model, component diagrams also can use packages or subsystems.
Components
Components typically represent a package of other logical elements and can be groupped themselves. They also can realize its own interfaces or use interfaces of another component.
Remember, that each component represents just one aspect, one view of the system.
Interfaces
See Deployment Diagram for more information about interfaces.
Links
Dependency: indicates
that one component uses the services of another component
Support: represents that a component might realize an interface
Component Diagram Tips
Using the Clone command on the context menu of the navigation pane node, you can quickly create a new diagram with the same content as the existing one. The new diagram has a unique name and is created in the same package.
UsingAdd Existing command on the diagram's context menu, you can reuse any already created elements in other state diagrams. Note: Elements imported this way are independent copies of the existing ones.
You can represent realization in two ways: using the support stereotype and the dashed line (canonical form), and using the solid line (lollipop notation)
Related topics