Guidelines: Import Dependency in Implementation

An import dependency in the implementation model is a stereotyped dependency whose source is an implementation subsystem and whose target is an implementation subsystem. The import dependency causes the public contents of the target subsystem to be referenceable in the source subsystem.

Topics

• Explanation
• Use

Explanation

Handling dependencies between subsystems is an important aspect of structuring the implementation model. A component in a client subsystem can only compile against components in a supplier subsystem, if the client subsystem imports the supplier subsystem. To express such dependencies use the import dependency from one subsystem to another, to point out the subsystem on which there is a dependence.

Example:

The following component diagram illustrates the import dependencies between implementation subsystems.

The subsystem Telephone Banking has an import dependency to the subsystem Trading Services, allowing components in Telephone Banking to compile against public (visible) components in Trading Services.

Use

Architectural Control

An important usage of the import dependency is to control the visibility between subsystems, and to enforce an architecture on the implementers. When the import dependency is defined by the architect early in the development, the implementers are only allowed to let their components reference (compile against) public components in the imported subsystems. Controlling the imports helps maintain the software architecture and avoids unwanted dependencies.

Subsystems Can Be Organized in Layers

The implementation model is normally organized in layers. The number of layers is not fixed, but vary from situation to situation. The following is a typical architecture with four layers:

• The top layer, application layer, contains the application specific services.
• The next layer, business-specific layer, contains business specific components, used in several applications.
• The middleware layer contains components such as GUI-builders, interfaces to database management systems, platform-independent operating system services, and OLE-components such as spreadsheets and diagram editors.
• The bottom layer, system software layer, contains components such as operating systems, interfaces to specific hardware, and so on.

An example of a layered implementation model for a banking system. The arrows shows import dependencies between subsystems.