UML Distilled

A brief guide to the standard object modelling language by Martin Fowler and Kendall Scot

Now in its third edition (since 2003 so it shows you how old my copy is!), this is a great book for those of you who need a concise refresher on the Universal Modelling Language (UML). As architects, if we utilise UML at all, we often use just a handful of object, classes and relationships but for those few times you need to model something else, having this book to hand is a god send. In fact, most of the time i just refer to the first and last pages where we find a summary of all of the key elements, relationships and diagrams – i keep it in my bookcase just behind me so looking this up in a friendly known format is quicker than googling several sites until you find what you want.

If you do need more then this book is great if you have a basic understanding of UML and where to use it and need a refresher of reminder of the key items.

I also own the Unified Modelling Language user guide and the Unified modelling language reference manual by Rumbaugh, Jacobson and Booch from years ago that gave me the grounding in UML but i don’t recall referred to these for many years unlike this much thinner paperback.

So if you know the basics and need a reference then i can certainly recommend this book. Read it cover to cover then keep it at arms length and it will remain one of those very few books you keep to hand.