How Useful is UML for Software Development?
Asked by
CuriousCoder92
Hey everyone! I've noticed that at my university there's a big emphasis on creating UML diagrams before we start coding anything, even for small projects that might only take about a weekend to complete. For instance, we might end up producing 20 to 30 pages of documentation and various UML diagrams. In my experience with web development, we typically only make basic diagrams using circles for components and arrows for their interactions. It's more like making a rough sketch rather than a detailed plan, since I feel it's hard to predict what attributes or methods a class will need before actual coding begins. Is this approach common? How do you all feel about using UML in your work?
Answers
A lot of it depends on the context of the project. In Agile environments, UML is less popular, but I think it’s good to be familiar with it. School is teaching you tools for the future, so even if you don’t use UML in every job, knowing how to create and understand diagrams can be very valuable.
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I get where you’re coming from; I've been in similar situations for game dev. We’ve made extensive sketches and diagrams, but I often find that too much detail can be overkill, especially since projects can change so quickly. A balance between simple sketches and formal diagrams seems to work best.
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In my nearly 10 years of experience, I hardly see UML outside of sequence diagrams occasionally. Honestly, full-fledged class diagrams aren't common in my day-to-day work—most projects don’t require that level of detail. It's kind of surprising how rarely we use it professionally compared to what we learned in school.
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I’m in aerospace, and we definitely use UML extensively. With safety-critical systems, having detailed diagrams like domain models and sequence diagrams is essential. For me, UML functions more like blueprints for an architect—it's about clarity in communication.
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I think the primary value of UML lies in helping developers communicate complex ideas. While not every project requires detailed diagrams, having the ability to sketch an idea clearly is definitely a plus. It’s not just for the design phase; it helps with documentation too.
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