2.6. Relations¶
2.6.1. Cardinality¶
0- Exactly 00..1- Zero or one0..n- Zero to n (where n > 1)0..*- Zero or more1- Only one1..n- One to n (where n > 1)1..*- One or more*- Manyn..n- {where n>1}
2.6.2. Association¶
is a broad term that encompasses just about any logical connection or relationship between classes. For example, passengers and airline may be linked as above.
```plantuml
class Passengers
class Airplane
Passengers -- Airplane
```
2.6.3. Directed Association¶
refers to a directional relationship represented by a line with an arrowhead. The arrowhead depicts a container-contained directional flow.
```plantuml
class Passengers
class Airplane
Passengers <-- Airplane
```
2.6.4. Reflexive Association¶
This occurs when a class may have multiple functions or responsibilities. For example, a staff member working in an airport may be a pilot, aviation engineer, ticket dispatcher, guard, or maintenance crew member. If the maintenance crew member is managed by the aviation engineer there could be a managed by relationship in two instances of the same class.
```plantuml
class Staff
Staff -- Staff: "0..*"
```
2.6.5. Multiplicity¶
is the active logical association when the cardinality of a class in relation
to another is being depicted. For example, one fleet may include multiple
airplanes, while one commercial airplane may contain zero to many passengers.
The notation 0..* in the diagram means "zero to many".
```plantuml
class Passengers
class Airplane
Passengers "0" -- "*" Airplane
```
```plantuml
class Passengers
class Airplane
Passengers "0..*" -- "1..*" Airplane
```
```plantuml
class A
class B
A -- B: "0..*"
```
2.6.6. Aggregation¶
refers to the formation of a particular class as a result of one class being aggregated or built as a collection. For example, the class "library" is made up of one or more books, among other materials. In aggregation, the contained classes are not strongly dependent on the lifecycle of the container. In the same example, books will remain so even when the library is dissolved. To show aggregation in a diagram, draw a line from the parent class to the child class with a diamond shape near the parent class.
To show aggregation in a diagram, draw a line from the parent class to the child class with a diamond shape near the parent class.
```plantuml
class Library
class Books
Library o-- Books
```
2.6.7. Composition¶
The composition relationship is very similar to the aggregation relationship. with the only difference being its key purpose of emphasizing the dependence of the contained class to the life cycle of the container class. That is, the contained class will be obliterated when the container class is destroyed. For example, a shoulder bag’s side pocket will also cease to exist once the shoulder bag is destroyed.
To show a composition relationship in a UML diagram, use a directional line connecting the two classes, with a filled diamond shape adjacent to the container class and the directional arrow to the contained class.
```plantuml
class Library
class Books
Library *-- Books
```
2.6.8. Extension (Inheritance)¶
refers to a type of relationship wherein one associated class is a child of another by virtue of assuming the same functionalities of the parent class. In other words, the child class is a specific type of the parent class. To show inheritance in a UML diagram, a solid line from the child class to the parent class is drawn using an unfilled arrowhead.
```plantuml
class Account
class User
Account <|-- User
```
2.6.9. Realization¶
denotes the implementation of the functionality defined in one class by another class. To show the relationship in UML, a broken line with an unfilled solid arrowhead is drawn from the class that defines the functionality of the class that implements the function. In the example, the printing preferences that are set using the printer setup interface are being implemented by the printer.
```plantuml
class Printer
class PrinterSetup
Printer <|.. PrinterSetup
```
2.6.10. Other¶
```plantuml
Class01 "1" *-- "many" Class02 : contains
Class03 o-- Class04 : aggregation
Class05 --> "1" Class06
Class13 --> Class14
Class19 <--* Class20
```
```plantuml
Class91 ^-- Class92
Class11 <|-- Class12
Class21 <-- Class22
Class41 *-- Class42
Class31 o-- Class32
Class51 #-- Class52
Class61 x-- Class62
Class71 }-- Class72
Class81 +-- Class82
```