Class Diagram

Class Diagram

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Syntax keyword: classDiagram Best for: Object-oriented design, type hierarchies, interface contracts, domain models When NOT to use: Database schemas (use ER), runtime behavior (use Sequence)

Exemplar Diagram

classDiagram
    accTitle: Payment Processing Class Hierarchy
    accDescr: Interface and abstract base class with two concrete implementations for credit card and digital wallet payment processing

    class PaymentProcessor {
        <<interface>>
        +processPayment(amount) bool
        +refund(transactionId) bool
        +getStatus(transactionId) string
    }

    class BaseProcessor {
        <<abstract>>
        #apiKey: string
        #timeout: int
        +validateAmount(amount) bool
        #logTransaction(tx) void
    }

    class CreditCardProcessor {
        -gateway: string
        +processPayment(amount) bool
        +refund(transactionId) bool
        -tokenizeCard(card) string
    }

    class DigitalWalletProcessor {
        -provider: string
        +processPayment(amount) bool
        +refund(transactionId) bool
        -initiateHandshake() void
    }

    PaymentProcessor <|.. BaseProcessor : implements
    BaseProcessor <|-- CreditCardProcessor : extends
    BaseProcessor <|-- DigitalWalletProcessor : extends

    style PaymentProcessor fill:#ede9fe,stroke:#7c3aed,stroke-width:2px,color:#3b0764
    style BaseProcessor fill:#dbeafe,stroke:#2563eb,stroke-width:2px,color:#1e3a5f
    style CreditCardProcessor fill:#dcfce7,stroke:#16a34a,stroke-width:2px,color:#14532d
    style DigitalWalletProcessor fill:#dcfce7,stroke:#16a34a,stroke-width:2px,color:#14532d

Tips

• Use <<interface>> and <<abstract>> stereotypes for clarity
• Show visibility: + public, - private, # protected
• Keep to 4–6 classes per diagram — split larger hierarchies
• Use style ClassName fill:...,stroke:...,color:... for light semantic coloring:
  • 🟣 Purple for interfaces/abstractions
  • 🔵 Blue for base/abstract classes
  • 🟢 Green for concrete implementations
• Relationship arrows:
  • <|-- inheritance (extends)
  • <|.. implementation (implements)
  • *-- composition · o-- aggregation · --> dependency

Template

classDiagram
    accTitle: Your Title Here
    accDescr: Describe the class hierarchy and the key relationships between types

    class InterfaceName {
        <<interface>>
        +methodOne() ReturnType
        +methodTwo(param) ReturnType
    }

    class ConcreteClass {
        -privateField: Type
        +methodOne() ReturnType
        +methodTwo(param) ReturnType
    }

    InterfaceName <|.. ConcreteClass : implements

Complex Example

An event-driven notification platform with 11 classes organized into 3 namespace groups — core orchestration, delivery channels, and data models. Shows interface implementation, composition, and dependency relationships across layers.

classDiagram
    accTitle: Event-Driven Notification Platform
    accDescr: Multi-namespace class hierarchy for a notification system showing core orchestration, four delivery channel implementations, and supporting data models with composition and dependency relationships

    namespace Core {
        class NotificationService {
            -queue: NotificationQueue
            -registry: ChannelRegistry
            +dispatch(notification) bool
            +scheduleDelivery(notification, time) void
            +getDeliveryStatus(id) DeliveryStatus
        }

        class NotificationQueue {
            -pending: List~Notification~
            -maxRetries: int
            +enqueue(notification) void
            +dequeue() Notification
            +retry(attempt) bool
        }

        class ChannelRegistry {
            -channels: Map~string, Channel~
            +register(name, channel) void
            +resolve(type) Channel
            +healthCheck() Map~string, bool~
        }
    }

    namespace Channels {
        class Channel {
            <<interface>>
            +send(notification, recipient) DeliveryAttempt
            +getStatus(attemptId) DeliveryStatus
            +validateRecipient(recipient) bool
        }

        class EmailChannel {
            -smtpHost: string
            -templateEngine: TemplateEngine
            +send(notification, recipient) DeliveryAttempt
            +getStatus(attemptId) DeliveryStatus
            +validateRecipient(recipient) bool
        }

        class SMSChannel {
            -provider: string
            -rateLimit: int
            +send(notification, recipient) DeliveryAttempt
            +getStatus(attemptId) DeliveryStatus
            +validateRecipient(recipient) bool
        }

        class PushChannel {
            -firebaseKey: string
            -apnsKey: string
            +send(notification, recipient) DeliveryAttempt
            +getStatus(attemptId) DeliveryStatus
            +validateRecipient(recipient) bool
        }

        class WebhookChannel {
            -signingSecret: string
            -timeout: int
            +send(notification, recipient) DeliveryAttempt
            +getStatus(attemptId) DeliveryStatus
            +validateRecipient(recipient) bool
        }
    }

    namespace Models {
        class Notification {
            +id: uuid
            +channel: string
            +subject: string
            +body: string
            +priority: string
            +createdAt: timestamp
        }

        class Recipient {
            +id: uuid
            +email: string
            +phone: string
            +deviceTokens: List~string~
            +preferences: Map~string, bool~
        }

        class DeliveryAttempt {
            +id: uuid
            +notificationId: uuid
            +recipientId: uuid
            +status: DeliveryStatus
            +attemptNumber: int
            +sentAt: timestamp
        }

        class DeliveryStatus {
            <<enumeration>>
            QUEUED
            SENDING
            DELIVERED
            FAILED
            BOUNCED
        }
    }

    NotificationService *-- NotificationQueue : contains
    NotificationService *-- ChannelRegistry : contains
    ChannelRegistry --> Channel : resolves

    Channel <|.. EmailChannel : implements
    Channel <|.. SMSChannel : implements
    Channel <|.. PushChannel : implements
    Channel <|.. WebhookChannel : implements

    Channel ..> Notification : receives
    Channel ..> Recipient : delivers to
    Channel ..> DeliveryAttempt : produces

    DeliveryAttempt --> DeliveryStatus : has

    style Channel fill:#ede9fe,stroke:#7c3aed,stroke-width:2px,color:#3b0764
    style DeliveryStatus fill:#ede9fe,stroke:#7c3aed,stroke-width:2px,color:#3b0764
    style NotificationService fill:#dbeafe,stroke:#2563eb,stroke-width:2px,color:#1e3a5f
    style NotificationQueue fill:#dbeafe,stroke:#2563eb,stroke-width:2px,color:#1e3a5f
    style ChannelRegistry fill:#dbeafe,stroke:#2563eb,stroke-width:2px,color:#1e3a5f
    style EmailChannel fill:#dcfce7,stroke:#16a34a,stroke-width:2px,color:#14532d
    style SMSChannel fill:#dcfce7,stroke:#16a34a,stroke-width:2px,color:#14532d
    style PushChannel fill:#dcfce7,stroke:#16a34a,stroke-width:2px,color:#14532d
    style WebhookChannel fill:#dcfce7,stroke:#16a34a,stroke-width:2px,color:#14532d
    style Notification fill:#f3f4f6,stroke:#6b7280,stroke-width:2px,color:#1f2937
    style Recipient fill:#f3f4f6,stroke:#6b7280,stroke-width:2px,color:#1f2937
    style DeliveryAttempt fill:#f3f4f6,stroke:#6b7280,stroke-width:2px,color:#1f2937

Why this works

• 3 namespaces mirror architectural layers — Core (orchestration), Channels (delivery implementations), Models (data). A developer can scan one namespace without reading the others.
• Color encodes the role — purple for interfaces/enums, blue for core services, green for concrete implementations, gray for data models. The pattern is instantly recognizable.
• Relationship types are deliberate — composition (*--) for "owns and manages", implementation (<|..) for "fulfills contract", dependency (..>) for "uses at runtime". Each arrow type carries meaning.