Tutorials : Working with UML Diagrams in the NetBeans IDE :

Working with UML Diagrams in the NetBeans IDE

The powerful NetBeans IDE started as a tool dedicated to Java developers and then extended over time to others languages such as PHP and Ruby. In fact, NetBeans also provides powerful support for UML (Unified Modeling Language), "a general-purpose notational language for specifying and visualizing complex software, especially large, object-oriented projects." (as defined by Webopedia) The NetBeans UML plugin is easy to install and use; with only a few clicks, you can create models that are platform-independent and reverse engineer models for Java.

In this article, you will install the UML plugin for NetBeans IDE 6.8 (or later) and then explore its features. You need to have NetBeans installed and at least a basic understanding of the UML paradigm and its diagrams.

Installation of UML Plugin for NetBeans 6.8

NetBeans does not come with the UML plugin installed, therefore you need to manually download and install it or follow the NetBeans Plugins wizard, as in the steps below:

From the Tools menu select the Plugins item.
In the Plugins wizard, go to the Settings tab and click the Add button (see Figure 1). You should see the Update Center Customizer window, in the Name section.
In the Update Center Customizer window, type "Uml" in the Name field and http://ea.ddns.com.br:8090/netbeans6.8/UML/catalog.xml in the URL field. Press the OK button.

Figure 1. Add UML Plugin in NetBeans
Switch to Available Plugins and locate the UML plugin. To find it quickly, type "uml" in the Search section (see Figure 2).

Figure 2. Search for UML Plugin in NetBeans
After you locate and select the UML plugin, click the Install button. This will start the installation process, which will take a few seconds depending on your Internet connection. You should see something like Figure 3.

Figure 3. Installing the UML Plugin in NetBeans
If the installation completes successfully, then you should see the dialog in Figure 4. Press the Finish button.

Figure 4. Successful Install of UML Plugin in NetBeans

Now, the UML plugin is fully functional, and you are ready to explore it!

Home / Articles / Working with UML Diagrams in the NetBeans IDE/ 1

Applet Index
(sorted alphabetically)
A B C D E F G H I J K
L M N O P Q R S T U
V W X Y Z #s

The Java Source
(applets w/source code)
A B C D E F G H I J K
L M N O P Q R S T U
V W X Y Z

How to Add Java Applets to Your Site

New on the Java Boutique:

New Review:

Time Management Made Easy with the Quartz Enterprise Job Scheduler
Why not just use the Java timer API? This open source scheduling API boasts simplicity, ease-of-integration, a well-rounded feature set, and it's free!

New Applet:

Reverse Complement
Reverse Complement is a simple applet that converts DNA or RNA sequences into three useful formats.