Component Diagram

Component diagrams are used:

• to model the structure of entities by showing the individual parts which the entities are composed of
• to show how the entities are integrated and how they communicate with each other

From the analysis point of view, the components usually represent application components, such as systems or applications.

The model above illustrates two principal usages of component diagrams. First, it shows the components that form the system - the Eshop system consists of the Product Administration module and the Product Browser module. The diagram also shows that the Eshop system communicates with the external Ordering System through Orders Interface. Unlike context diagram, which shows only the logical representation of the connections, the component diagram often includes the concrete systems, their structure and the real communication links between them.