Question

I have a question concerning the uml component diagram: as I can see in Wikipedia, it is possible to create my own “component types” like <<thin client>>, <<thick client>> etc. I thought that I can only say <<subsystem>> and <<component>>?! Are these entries stereotypes or what? I’d like to model a third-party-database like oracle or mysql. Do I have to create something like <<database>> or should I use the artifact for this?

To make it more clear I added a graphic example: the “Zugriffsmanagement” (access management) uses the artifact “Drittanbieter-Datenbank” (Third-Party-Database) to store the data. Should it be <<artifact>> or <<database>> or what? Thank you!

Answer 1

Yes, you can. The stereotypes are for that.

You DO CAN use a stereotype that says something different that “<<subsystem>>” and “<<component>>”. Of course, your “thin client” or “database”, its an specialization of a “component”.

    +-------------------+
    |  <<thin client>>  |<--------+
    |  Local Database 1 |         |
    +-------------------+         |
                                  |
                                  |
                                  |
    +-------------------+         |+--------------------+
    |  <<thin client>>  |<--------+|  <<system>>        |
    |  Local Database 2 |         ||  Finantial Server  |
    +-------------------+         |+--------------------+
                                  |
                                  |
    +-------------------+         |
    |  <<database>>     |<--------+
    |  North SQL Server |         |
    +-------------------+         |
                                  |
                                  |
    +-------------------+         |
    |  <<database>>     |<--------+
    |  Sth SQL Server   |
    +-------------------+

Cheers.