Component

A component diagram, also known as a UML component diagram, describes the organization and wiring of the physical components in a system. Component diagrams are often drawn to help model implementation details and double-check that every aspect of the system’s required functions is covered by planned development. In the first version of UML, components included in these diagrams were physical: documents, database table, files, and executables, all physical elements with a location. In the world of UML 2, these components are less physical and more conceptual stand-alone design elements such as a business process that provides or requires interfaces to interact with other constructs in the system.