What Is a Use Case Diagram?
A Use Case Diagram is a type of Unified Modeling Language (UML) diagram that visually represents the interactions between users (called actors) and a system. It's a helpful tool during the planning and requirement-gathering stages of software development.
Why Use a Use Case Diagram?
- To capture functional requirements of a system
- To help stakeholders understand system interactions
- To visualize user roles and how they use the system
Basic Elements
- Actor: A person or system that interacts with your application.
- Use Case: A specific function or goal the actor wants to achieve.
- System Boundary: Defines what is inside (system functions) and outside (actors) the system.
Example
In a library system, an actor like "Student" might have use cases such as "Borrow Book" or "Search Catalog". These interactions are connected in the diagram to show how users interact with the system.
Conclusion
Use Case Diagrams are a simple but powerful way to communicate system functionality. They're especially useful in early project stages when aligning developers, clients, and stakeholders on what the system is supposed to do.
