Selecting a UML Tool

• There are a number of tools available.  So, what do you want in a UML tool?
• Should support most of the UML diagrams out there.  At least the most popular.
• Should be able to generate code based on the diagrams designed.
• Should be able to reverse-engineer previously-written code into diagrams.
• Should have good export capabilities.
• When evaluating UML software for the bank, there were a few options...
• Rational Rose is considered by many to be the pinnacle of UML tools.  Unfortunately, it is very expensive!  So I had to rule this one out.
• I originally chose JVision 3.2 from Object Insight for $400/seat, but it only supported two diagrams and was somewhat buggy.
• Then, I looked into replacing it with Argo UML.  This met most of the requirements listed above, and it's open source (no cost), which the bank loves.  Unfortunately, it did not reverse engineer code into UML (it does now, though, see update below).
• So I looked at Poseidon and settled on that.  It meets all of the above requirements, and it does reverse-engineer code.
• A side note, though, you should only reverse engineer code that was written before using Poseidon. Always write the UML first, then the code, not the opposite.
• An added bonus-Poseidon integrates with Forte and NetBeans.
• The Community Edition is free, but you can upgrade to the professional edition if you have a few Euros sitting around.
• Another added bonus-Poseidon has a feature that looks at your code and automatically makes suggestions for improvement.  This can really come in handy!
• Poseidon is 100% Java, so it can run anywhere that Java can run.
• The bottom line: I'm very impressed with Poseidon.
• Spring 03 Update - Since I wrote this slide in 2001, a few things have changed:
• Argo now reverse-engineers diagrams from source code.
• Poseidon CE no longer allows you to print or export in an open format.
• JVision has a much more enhanced version.


 Getting Poseidon

Created by:  Brandan Jones December 17, 2001