UML Diagrams Zicomi Systems publishes some UML example diagrams online from the world famous UML dictionary. more...
Version 2.5 Released Zicomi Systems is delighted to announce that version 2.5 of Zicomi Mentor is released. With support for UML 2.0 and all thirteen UML diagrams more...
Zicomi Systems' Director speaks about the UML at Objects by Design - an informative interview more...
Partner Programme Zicom Systems is delighted to announce a new world wide partner programme, become a partner today. more...
OMG Member Zicom Systems is made a member of the OMG!
Artifact Instance
An artifact instance represents a distinct instance of an artifact. It is a piece of information that is utilized or created as part of a software development process or is produced as a product of a running system. It has a unique identity and state and defines the values of the properties specified in the artifact of which it is an example. An artifact instance can exhibit behavior, but only as a result of being an instance of an artifact.
Explanation
An artifact instance is a specific example (instance) of an artifact. The artifact describes a piece of information from a generic point of view whereas an artifact instance describes or represents an actual or specific example of the information. This is part of what is known as the type-instance dichotomy, which occurs with many of the UML elements. The whole concept of preparing a model is about abstraction or saying something general that applies equally to each one in a set of specific things. Depending on the type of information that is represented by an artifact, it is sometimes more appropriate to use an artifact than an artifact instance. Often when modeling test cases artifact instances are more appropriate.
An artifact is related to an artifact instance because it represents the classifier from which the instance is derived. While the artifact is a generic description of a set of things with related properties and behavior, the artifact instance is one of the members of the set, representing an actual example or instance of an artifact.
A deployment specification instance is related to an artifact instance because the deployment specification instance provides the values for a set of properties that govern the execution of the artifact instance that is deployed on a node. The set of properties themselves is defined in the deployment specification, which is the classifier of which the deployment specification instance is an example.
