Learning Material: Types of CASE Diagrams in Java System Design

I. Introduction to CASE Diagrams

 What are CASE Diagrams?
o CASE (Computer-Aided Software Engineering) diagrams are visual
representations used in software development to model and design
systems.
o They provide a way to communicate the system's structure, behavior,
and interactions among stakeholders.
o In Java system design, these diagrams help translate requirements into
executable code.
 Importance of CASE Diagrams:
o Improve communication among developers, analysts, and clients.

o Facilitate understanding of complex systems.

o Aid in identifying and resolving design flaws early in the development

process.
o Provide a blueprint for Java code implementation.

II. Types of CASE Diagrams

 A. Use Case Diagrams
o Purpose:

 Describe the functional requirements of a system from the user's

perspective.
 Define the interactions between actors (users) and the system.
 Focus on "what" the system does, not "how."
o Components:

 Actors: External entities (users, systems, devices) that interact

with the system (represented as stick figures).
 Use Cases: Specific goals or tasks that actors want to
accomplish (represented as ovals).
 Relationships:
 Association: Communication between an actor and a use
case (represented as a line).
 Include: A use case that is part of another use case
(represented as a dashed arrow with "<<include>>").
  Extend: A use case that adds optional functionality to
another use case (represented as a dashed arrow with
"<<extend>>").
 System Boundary: Defines the scope of the system
(represented as a rectangle).
o Application in Java System Design:

 Helps identify the required functionalities of the Java application.

 Provides a basis for creating user stories and test cases.
 Aids in defining the overall system architecture.
o Example: Online Shopping System (Actors: Customer, Administrator;
Use Cases: Browse Products, Add to Cart, Checkout, Manage Products)
 B. Class Diagrams
o Purpose:

 Model the static structure of a system.

 Show classes, their attributes, methods, and relationships.
 Represent the building blocks of a Java application.
o Components:

 Classes: Represent objects with attributes and methods

(represented as rectangles with three compartments: class
name, attributes, methods).
 Attributes: Data members of a class.
 Methods: Functions that a class can perform.
 Relationships:
 Association: A general relationship between classes.
 Aggregation/Composition: "Has-a" relationships.
 Inheritance: "Is-a" relationship.
 Dependency: One class uses another class.
o Application in Java System Design:

 Provides a blueprint for creating Java classes.

 Defines the structure and relationships of objects.
 Helps in organizing and managing code.
 o Example: A simple Java class "Student" with attributes (name,
studentID) and methods (getName(), getStudentID()).
 C. Sequence Diagrams
o Purpose:

 Model the dynamic behavior of a system.

 Show the sequence of interactions between objects over time.
 Illustrate the flow of messages between objects.
o Components:

 Objects: Instances of classes (represented as rectangles).

 Lifelines: Vertical lines representing the existence of an object
over time.
 Messages: Interactions between objects (represented as
arrows).
 Activation Boxes: Indicate when an object is active.
o Application in Java System Design:

 Helps in understanding the runtime behavior of a Java

application.
 Aids in designing method calls and object interactions.
 Facilitates debugging and testing.
o Example: A scenario where a "Customer" object interacts with a
"ShoppingCart" object to add a "Product" object.
III. Connecting Diagrams to Java Code
 Use Case Diagrams help define the functionalities that will be implemented
as Java classes and methods.
 Class Diagrams directly translate into Java class definitions, attributes, and
methods.
 Sequence Diagrams help visualize the flow of control and method calls, which
can be mapped to Java code execution.
IV. Practical Application
 When presented with a software requirement, begin with a Use Case Diagram
to understand the user's perspective.
 Use the Use Case Diagram to create a Class Diagram that defines the
structure of the Java application.
  Use Sequence Diagrams to visualize the interactions between objects and
ensure the correct flow of control.
 Use UML diagram creation software to create the diagrams.
V. Review Questions (for discussion or quiz)
 What is the main difference between a Use Case Diagram and a Class
Diagram?
 How does a Sequence Diagram help in debugging Java code?
 Explain how actors and use cases are related in a Use Case Diagram.
 What are the key relationships that can be represented in a Class Diagram?
 Why is it important to use diagrams before writing code?
VI. Visual Aids (Examples to use in the lesson)
 Sample Use Case Diagram of an ATM system.
 Sample Class Diagram of a simple library system.
 Sample Sequence Diagram of a login process.