Product Description

Pressured with tight deadlines, application developers do not have the luxury of keeping completely up-to-date with all of the latest innovations in software engineering. Once in a great while, a tremendous resource comes along that helps these professionals become more efficient. The first two editions of UML Distilled have been perennial best-sellers because of their concise, yet thorough, nature. This eagerly-anticipated third edition allows you to get acquainted with some of the best thinking about efficient object-oriented software design using the latest version of the industry-standard for modeling software: UML 2.0. The author has retained the book's convenient format that has made it an essential resource for anyone who designs software for a living. The book describes all the major UML 2.0 diagram types, what they are intended to do, and the basic notation involved in creating and deciphering them. A true treasure for the software engineering community.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #60320 in Books
• Published on: 2003-09-25
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 208 pages

Amazon.co.uk Review
The second edition of Martin Fowler's bestselling UML Distilled provides updates to the Unified Modeling Language (UML) without changing its basic formula for success. It is still arguably the best resource for quick, no- nonsense explanations to using UML.

The major strength of UML Distilled is its short, concise presentation of the essentials of UML and where it fits within today's software development process. The book describes all the major UML diagram types, what they're for and the basic notation involved creating and deciphering them. These diagrams include use cases, class and interaction diagrams, followed by collaborations, state, activity and physical diagrams. The examples are always clear and the explanations cut to the fundamental design logic.

For the second edition, the material has been reworked for use cases and activity diagrams, plus there are numerous small tweaks throughout, including the latest UML v. 1.3 standard. An appendix even traces the evolution of UML versions.

Working developers often don't have time to keep up with new innovations in software engineering. This new edition lets you get acquainted with some of the best thinking about efficient object-oriented software design using UML in a convenient format that will be essential to anyone who designs software professionally. --Richard Dragan, amazon.com

Topics covered: UML basics, analysis and design, outline development (software development process), inception, elaboration, managing risks, construction, transition, use case diagrams, class diagrams, interaction diagrams, collaborations, state diagrams, activity diagrams, physical diagrams, patterns, refactoring basics.

From the Back Cover

• Would you like to understand the most important elements of Class diagrams? (See page 35.)
• Do you want to see the new UML 2.0 interaction frame notation for adding control flow to sequence diagrams (see page 58) and the unofficial notation that many prefer? (See page 60.)
• Do you want to know what changes have been made to all versions of the UML? (See page 151.)
• Do you want a quick reference to the most useful parts of the UML notation? (See the inside covers.)
• Do you want to find out what diagram types were added to the UML 2.0 without wading through the spec? (See page 11.)

More than 300,000 developers have benefited from past editions of UML Distilled. This third edition is the best resource for quick, no-nonsense insights into understanding and using UML 2.0 and prior versions of the UML.

Some readers will want to quickly get up to speed with the UML 2.0 and learn the essentials of the UML. Others will use this book as a handy, quick reference to the most common parts of the UML. The author delivers on both of these promises in a short, concise, and focused presentation.

This book describes all the major UML diagram types, what they're used for, and the basic notation involved in creating and deciphering them. These diagrams include class, sequence, object, package, deployment, use case, state machine, activity, communication, composite structure, component, interaction overview, and timing diagrams. The examples are clear and the explanations cut to the fundamental design logic.

If you are like most developers, you don't have time to keep up with all the new innovations in software engineering. This new edition of Fowler's classic work gets you acquainted with some of the best thinking about efficient object-oriented software design using the UML--in a convenient format that will be essential to anyone who designs software professionally.

About the Author

Martin Fowler is an independent consultant who has applied objects to pressing business problems for more than a decade. He has consulted on systems in fields such as health care, financial trading, and corporate finance. His clients include Chrysler, Citibank, UK National Health Service, Andersen Consulting, and Netscape Communications. In addition, Fowler is a regular speaker on objects, the Unified Modeling Language, and patterns.

Customer Reviews

Wonderful introduction to UML
The best introduction to UML there is. It is short, succinct and well written (as all of Martin Fowler's books are) but also comprehensive and comprehensible.

This is a good book for anybody looking to learn about UML: managers, developers, analysts, and architects. Clearly anybody who is going to use UML in anger will need to consult more detailed material but this is an excellent starting point for all.

Highly recommended

Practical, comprehensive, and easy to read
This was the first readable book I found on UML and it is still my favourite. It has a practical focus, and concentrates on how to make effective use of UML rather than the abstruse features and OO theory.

There is easily enough detail to allow someone new to UML to effictively read, modify and create UML diagrams as well as some helpful hints and reminders on style for the more experienced.

If you want more then see this book as a well annotated bibliography with an introduction to each topic and where you can find the detail when you need it.

Excellent Introduction and Overview.
Despite some of the recent comments I found this book to be an excellent introduction to UML. Although I have quite some experience in using UML in commercial environments, this is a book I will carry with me to explain simply and clearly to others what it is about. Don't expect to find process or technique, that is not the idea of this little guide, but if you are used to some forms of moddelling, you may expect an easy route to introductory UML.