The Package Diagram

In package diagrams, UML (Unified Modeling Language) is used to graphically model dependencies and hierarchy relationships between packages. Package diagrams facilitate architecture design and component modeling. The simple depiction helps structure IT systems and reduce their complexity.

The diagram can be opened:

• by double-clicking on the diagram

The diagram

The most important editing functions

	Add Existing Elements Adds existing packages to the diagram.
	Create Package This button is used to create a new package and add directly to the diagram. A package combines multiple elements to form a larger unit and defines a namespace for them. In the collapsed view, the symbol of a package shows its name and its stereotype. The default stereotype is Package. The expanded view shows the elements contained in the package and the diagrams that the package is a part of.
	Create Import Relationship Connects two packages with an import relationship. First click the package to import the other package and afterwards the package to be imported. An import relationship indicates that all public types of a package are available in another package. A gray dashed line with an arrow pointing to the imported package symbolizes the relationship. The default stereotype of this relationship is «import».
	Create Containment Relationship  Connects two packages with a containment relationship. First click the package that should contain a second package and then the contained package. A containment relationship shows the containment of a package. It can be used to describe a package at various levels of hierarchy and at every level of detail. A red dashed line with a crosshair that ends at the side of the package symbolizes the relationship. The default stereotype of this relationship is «contain».
	Create Merge Relationship Connects two packages by a merge relationship. First click the source package and then the target package. A merge relationship shows that the – non private contents – of the target package are merged into the contents of the source package. A green dashed line with an arrow pointing to the target package symbolizes the relationship. The default stereotype of the merge relationship is «merge».
	Create Note Used to create a note to provide additional information about the chart or chart element.
	Create Note Relationship Links a note to another chart element.