Artifact: Component

Component	A component represents a piece of software code (source, binary or executable), or a file containing information (for example, a startup file or a ReadMe file). A component can also be an aggregate of other components; for example, an application consisting of several executables.
UML representation:	Components, possibly stereotyped as, for example, «application», «document», «executable», «file», «library», «page», «table» or «test component»
Role:	Implementer
Optionality:	Use of any of the stereotypes is optional.
More information:	Guidelines:Component Dependency Guidelines:Component Guidelines:Testing and Evaluating Components
Purpose Properties Timing Responsibility Tailoring

Input to Activities:

Review Code

Implement Test Components and Subsystems

Plan Subsystem Integration

Integrate Subsystem

Perform Unit Tests

Output from Activities:

Implement Component

Fix a Defect

Perform Unit Tests

Purpose

A component represents a physical asset of the development process: files of some sort that contain source, configurations, executables, and other physical products of development.

Properties

Property Name	Brief Description	UML Representation
Name	Component name	The attribute "Name" on model element

Timing

Components may be created in the Inception Phase during the creation of User Interface Prototypes; though this is relatively minor. Architecturally significant components are created in the Elaboration Phase as the architectural prototypes are developed. Remaining components are created in the Construction Phase. Components are updated during the Transition Phase as defects are found and fixed.

Responsibility

Tailoring

The type of component to use depends on the programming language and the implementation environment in general. For examples of different types of components, see Guidelines: Component.