统一建模语言UML述评

REVIEW OF THE UNIFIED MODELING LANGUAGE(UML)

最近由美国Ｒａｔｉｏｎａｌ公司发起并与其它十几家公司共同推出的“统一建模语言”ＵＭＬ在ＯＯ领域受到广泛的关注．文中首先介绍ＵＭＬ产生的背景及其主要内容，然后评论它对ＯＯ建模技术的积极影响以及可能存在的问题．ＵＭＬ是一种表达能力丰富的、强有力的建模语言；然而，目前还不能断定它将取代现有的各种面向对象的分析与设计方法．因为它只是一种建模语言，而不是一种方法；

The Unified Modeling Language(UML), published by Rational Software Corporation and other UML partners, is attracting wide attention in the area of object technology. The historical background and the main contents of UML are introduced and then its significance, positive influence and some possible problems are discussed. UML is an expressive and powerful modeling language; however, it cannot be concluded that it would replace all existing object oriented analysis and design methods. The reason is that UML is only a modeling language rather than a method, and its excessive complexity might become an obstacle to win a great number of users.