Ask HN: Do you still use UML? • Hacker News Board

Re: Ask HN: Do you still use UML?

#11

Post by dmitripopov » Sat, Nov 05, 2016, 11:04 AM UTC

llndr wrote: post #6

Sequence and state diagrams are fine, why not using them when you want to communicate certain things?

I notice that young coders hate to deal with diagrams. Customers are more and more educated in IT, so in most cases there's no need for intermediate language to communicate.

Re: Ask HN: Do you still use UML?

#12

Post by Raed667 » Sat, Nov 05, 2016, 11:06 AM UTC

I only ever used it for school projects, and only because it was required.

Re: Ask HN: Do you still use UML?

#13

Post by dmitripopov » Sat, Nov 05, 2016, 11:06 AM UTC

maplechori wrote: post #4

requirements in any real life scenario change every day, useless

I guess that is the reason why UML failed. Documentation updates took more time than coding.

Re: Ask HN: Do you still use UML?

#14

Post by dmitripopov » Sat, Nov 05, 2016, 11:09 AM UTC

Raed667 wrote: post #12

I only ever used it for school projects, and only because it was required.

Some 10 years ago I took part in two very large projects in two different organizations, and in both cases all our shiny diagrams were scrapped at the end. So sad :)

Re: Ask HN: Do you still use UML?

#15

Post by Torn » Sat, Nov 05, 2016, 11:14 AM UTC

Sometimes, in google drawings to talk about code or systems architecture in the abstract

Re: Ask HN: Do you still use UML?

#16

Post by Raed667 » Sat, Nov 05, 2016, 11:15 AM UTC

dmitripopov wrote: post #14

Raed667 wrote: post #12

I only ever used it for school projects, and only because it was required.

Some 10 years ago I took part in two very large projects in two different organizations, and in both cases all our shiny diagrams were scrapped at the end. So sad :)

For school projects, we did all the code, and then generated UML accordingly...

All teachers knew that, but let it go

Re: Ask HN: Do you still use UML?

#17

Post by Svan » Sat, Nov 05, 2016, 11:16 AM UTC

I do. UML class diagrams can help you turn real world business objects into model and think about dependencies and relationships of entities. I would say that it is the best tool to model software. Sequence and activity diagrams can help you design and document a process.

A picture is sometimes worth hundred words and this applies to UML as well.

Re: Ask HN: Do you still use UML?

#18

Post by dmitripopov » Sat, Nov 05, 2016, 11:16 AM UTC

Torn wrote: post #15

Sometimes, in google drawings to talk about code or systems architecture in the abstract

Is it general coders talk or project-related? Do you use it to communicate with clients?

Re: Ask HN: Do you still use UML?

#19

Post by kaio » Sat, Nov 05, 2016, 11:18 AM UTC

Yes, but not in the formal sense. And i don't get why agile and proper documentation should not go Hand in Hand. There are components and class Diagramms that are invaluable for me when i'm joining an existing code base. Even if they are not up-to-date everytime.

State and sequence diagrams are really cool to discuss dynamic flows and identify potential logic holes. UML-like diagrams are way better then to come up with your own representation of this everytime

Re: Ask HN: Do you still use UML?

#20

Post by _nalply » Sat, Nov 05, 2016, 11:19 AM UTC

I still think in use cases but without the goofy graphics. I just make a Markdown bulleted list then give the use cases each a name and a short description.