Hey awesome developers! 👋
I'm currently working on backend for a complex project that will require many tables and relationships. I was advised to create UML Diagram and UML use case before I start building anything in the project.
I usually start building, improvise and hope it works 😄
So I'm wondering, do you guys usually create UML diagrams before building new projects? Or are you like me?
Depends on how complex it is. You mentioned use case but which other diagrams? Class/package? Timing/sequence?
Except in the simplest cases, I write an architecture/class breakdown
and class relationships document even if not formal UML. I have picked up issues where classes needed to be split, properties needed to be moved to a different class, or properties were missing for a use
case. Also, different class layouts may be better for different use
cases.
If you are using agile and user stories, a use case might not be
needed as you already have most of it in your agile user
stories. However, if you have multiple interacting actors the formalism
might be useful.
If UML diagrams are kept up to date, they can be good documentation for on-boarding new developers or maintenance. For larger organizations this is important. I am not great at reading UMLs, but I find diagrams easier to understand than thick books of architecture design.