Component diagram

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Component Diagram of an Insurance Policy Administration System

UML diagrams
Structural UML diagrams
Class diagram
Component diagram
Composite structure diagram
Deployment diagram
Object diagram
Package diagram
Profile diagram
Behavioural UML diagrams
Activity diagram
Communication diagram
Interaction overview diagram
Sequence diagram
State diagram
Timing diagram
Use case diagram

In the Unified Modeling Language, a component diagram depicts how components are wired together to form larger components and or software systems. They are used to illustrate the structure of arbitrarily complex systems.

[edit] Overview

Components are wired together by using an assembly connector to connect the required interface of one component with the provided interface of another component. This illustrates the service consumer - service provider relationship between the two components.

An assembly connector is a "connector between two components that defines that one component provides the services that another component requires. An assembly connector is a connector that is defined from a required interface or port to a provided interface or port."^[1]

When using a component diagram to show the internal structure of a component, the provided and required interfaces of the encompassing component can delegate to the corresponding interfaces of the contained components.

A delegation connector is a "connector that links the external contract of a component (as specified by its ports) to the internal realization of that behavior by the component’s parts."^[1]

The example above illustrates what a typical Insurance policy administration system might look like. Each of the components depicted in the above diagram may have other component diagrams illustrating their internal structure.