Class Diagram - Dependency Notation

UML Tutorials - Herong's Tutorial Examples

∟Class Diagram - Dependency Notation

This section describes the Dependency Notation used in a UML Class Diagram. A Dependency Notation presents a relationship between two classes, in which one class (the client) depends on the other class (the supplier).

A Dependency Notation is a graphical notation used in a UML Class Diagram to represent a relationship between two classes, in which one class (the client) depends on the other class (the supplier). Any modification of the supplier class may impact the client class.

A Dependency Notation is drawn as a dash line with a line arrow pointing to the supplier class.

For example, the "Certificate Factory" class depends on the "Certificate" class, because a certificate can be created from a certificate factory. Any modification of the "Certificate" class will impact the "Certificate Factory" class. This dependency relation can be drawn as a Dependency Notation in a UML class diagram as shown below: