Entity Relationship Diagram Software Engineering

Entity Relationship Diagram (aka ER Diagram, E-R Diagram, ERD) is a time-tested and widespread software development and software engineering method for data modeling, illustrating the logical structure of databases and system design. For ERDs construction are used three basic elements: entities, attributes, and relationships. Chen's notation for ERD supposes the use of rectangles (boxes) to represent entities and diamonds to depict relationships between first-class objects. This notation is popular when creating conceptual data models of information systems. Another standardized notation for ER diagrams is Crow's foot notation. ConceptDraw DIAGRAM as a powerful Entity Relationship Diagram software engineering provides the tools of Entity-Relationship Diagram (ERD) solution from Software Development area of ConceptDraw Solution Park for instantly describing databases using ERDs of Crow’s Foot and Chen’s notations. Use the predesigned vector elements for both these notations from 2 libraries included to Entity-Relationship Diagram (ERD) solution.

Components of ER Diagram

Entity-Relationship model gives the possibility to visually describe a database using the components of ER Diagram, entity relationship stencils, relationship symbols, work flow shapes. ER-diagram lets represent the data or entities, attributes of these entities and relationships between them, using standardized Crow’s Foot notation icons or Chen’s notation icons. An entity is an object of the real world, it can exist independently and has the instances which differ in attribute values (properties). The attributes give an unambiguous (uniquely) identification for the instance and are called the primary key, this key can be composite and combine several attributes. ConceptDraw DIAGRAM is a professional software available with Entity-Relationship Diagram (ERD) solution from Software Development area that lets create ERDs for various database systems, using Crow’s Foot and Chen’s notations. It is invaluable tool for software engineers and developers, it supports ODBC-compatible databases (Oracle, MySQL, MS Access, MS SQL, InterBase, Firebird and others).

What is Entity-Relationship Diagram

Entity Relationship Diagram (ERD) is an acknowledged method to visualize the logical structure of databases. Using special symbols described in ERD notations you can depict a database of any complexity. The vector graphic ER diagrams produced when using ConceptDraw ERD solution can be used in whitepapers, presentations, datasheets, posters, or any technical materials.

Standard Shapes for Value Stream Mapping

Standard Shapes <br>for Value Stream Mapping *

ConceptDraw Value Stream Mapping solution extends software with templates, samples and vector shapes for drawing Value Stream Maps (VSM).

Technical Drawing Software

In conditions of rapidly developing and progressing modern technologies in various fields of science and technics, a powerful specialized software is very popular and highly demanded today. In this area particularly valuable is a technical drawing software. ConceptDraw DIAGRAM is a unique professional vector diagramming software for business and technical drawing. Enhanced with powerful drawing tools of Mechanical Engineering solution from the Engineering area of ConceptDraw Solution Park, it is ideal for designing Technical Drawings, Electrical Schematics, Mechanical Systems Drawings, Plumbing Drawings, Structural Drawings, Architectural Drawings, Circuit Diagrams, and many other types of technical diagrams and schematics of any degree of complexity and any level of detailing. Included numerous predesigned mechanical engineering and technical drawing objects and symbols make a technical drawing process as simple as possible. Besides, ConceptDraw DIAGRAM offers extensive export capabilities that promote the active exchange of ideas and results with colleagues and other stakeholders.

UML Notation

Unified Modeling Language (UML) is an open standard, the language of graphic description used for modeling objects in a field of software development and software engineering. It was created for definition, specification, visualization, designing and documenting software systems, as a unification of three object-oriented technologies Booch, OMT and OOSE, and uses the defined graphic notation for creating the visual models of object-oriented software systems. Description of UML consists of two parts, interactive and supplementing each other: UML semantics, which represents a certain metamodel, defines the abstract syntax and semantics of terms of object modeling with UML, and UML notation that is a graphic notation for visual representation of UML semantics. The powerful tools of the Rapid UML solution included to ConceptDraw Solution Park make the ConceptDraw DIAGRAM diagramming and vector drawing software the best for easy applying the UML notation when creating the visual models of object-oriented software systems and designing different kinds of UML diagrams.

Developing Entity Relationship Diagrams

When you need to visually represent the structure of relational database, Entity relationship diagram (ERD) is a type of diagram for that case. Most entity-relationship diagrams can be built with objects from Flowchart solution or ERD Solution which contains inbuilt templates. Follow these steps to create your own custom ERD diagram. Don't be frightened if it looks complex, ConceptDraw DIAGRAM makes it easy to create an ERD, and hundreds of other diagrams, in minutes.

ERD Symbols and Meanings

Entity Relationship Diagram (ERD) is a popular software engineering tool for database modeling and illustration the logical structure of databases, which uses one of two notations - Chen's or Crow’s Foot. Crow's foot notation is effective when used in software engineering, information engineering, structured systems analysis and design. Each of these notations applies its own set of ERD symbols. Crow's foot diagrams use boxes to represent entities and lines between these boxes to show relationships. Varied shapes at the ends of lines depict the cardinality of a given relationship. Chen's ERD notation is more detailed way to represent entities and relationships. ConceptDraw DIAGRAM application enhanced with all-inclusive Entity-Relationship Diagram (ERD) solution allows design professional ER diagrams with Chen's or Crow’s Foot notation on your choice. It contains the full set of ready-to-use standardized ERD symbols and meanings helpful for quickly drawing, collection of predesigned ERD samples, examples and templates. ConceptDraw Pro is a great alternative to Visio for Mac users as it offers more features and can easily handle the most demanding professional needs.

How to Build an Entity Relationship Diagram (ERD)

Entity Relationship Diagrams

The Entity-Relationship Diagram (ERD) Solution from the Software Development Area for ConceptDraw Solution Park extends ConceptDraw DIAGRAM ector graphics and diagramming software with the ability of drawing the Entity Relationship Diagrams for visually describing the databases with Crow’s Foot and Chen's notation icons.

UML for Software Engineers

Unified Modeling Language (UML) is a visual modeling language in the field of software engineering. It is an open standard that provides the graphic notations for creating the visual models of object-oriented software systems. UML took in the notations of the Object-modeling technique, Object-oriented software engineering and the Booch method.

Entity Relationship Diagram - ERD - Software for Design Chen ER Diagrams

Entity Relationship Diagram - ERD - Software for Design <br>Chen ER Diagrams *

The Entity-Relationship Diagram (ERD) solution from ConceptDraw Solution Park extends ConceptDraw DIAGRAM ector graphics and diagramming software with the ability to describe a database using the Entity-Relationship (Chen) model. Use it for design your ERDs and verify that ConceptDraw DIAGRAM offers the best ERD diagrams software tools for design element Chen notation.

ER Diagram Tool

Creating of Entity-Relationship Diagrams (ERDs) is a complex process that requires convenient, automated tools. ConceptDraw DIAGRAM diagramming and vector drawing software offers a powerful ER Diagram Tool - the Entity-Relationship Diagram (ERD) Solution from the Software Development Area.

Entity-Relationship Diagram (ERD)

Entity-Relationship Diagram (ERD) solution extends ConceptDraw DIAGRAM charting and vector drawing software with the ability to describe a database using the Entity-Relationship model. This solution includes icons advocated by Chen’s and Crow’s Foot notation that can be used when describing a database. The vector graphic diagrams produced when using this solution can be employed in your white papers, presentations, data sheets, posters, or any technical material.

Anyone Have an ERD Symbols Quick Reference?

ERD drawing becomes easier with predesigned entity relationship symbols, work flow shapes, entity relationship stencils. All variety of ERD symbols you may need for ERDs design is packed into libraries and templates from Entity-Relationship Diagram (ERD) Solution for ConceptDraw DIAGRAM diagramming and vector drawing software. But anyone have an ERD symbols quick reference? Detailed reference information for them is represented at the tables.

Entity Relationship Diagram Software

The world-best Entity Relationship Diagram software suitable for professional ERD drawing is ConceptDraw DIAGRAM software extended with the Entity-Relationship Diagram (ERD) solution. This solution contains all libraries, templates and samples you may need for professional ERD drawing.

Chen's ERD of MMORPG

"In software engineering, an entity–relationship model (ER model) is a data model for describing a database in an abstract way.Chen's notation for entity–relationship modeling uses rectangles to represent entity sets, and diamonds to represent relationships appropriate for first-class objects: they can have attributes and relationships of their own. If an entity set participates in a relationship set, they are connected with a line.
Attributes are drawn as ovals and are connected with a line to exactly one entity or relationship set." [Entity–relationship model. Wikipedia]
This sample Chen's ER-diagram illustrates the structure of a typical MMORP game.
"Massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG) mixes the genres of role-playing video games and Massively multiplayer online games, possibly in the form of web browser-based games, in which a very large number of players interact with one another within a virtual world.
As in all RPGs, players assume the role of a character (often in a fantasy world or science-fiction world) and take control over many of that character's actions. MMORPGs are distinguished from single-player or small multi-player online RPGs by the number of players, and by the game's persistent world (usually hosted by the game's publisher), which continues to exist and evolve while the player is offline and away from the game." [Massively multiplayer online role-playing game. Wikipedia]
This ERD example was redrawn using the ConceptDraw PRO diagramming and vector drawing software from the Wikipedia file: ER Diagram MMORPG.png. [en.wikipedia.org/ wiki/ File:ER_ Diagram_ MMORPG.png]
This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license. [creativecommons.org/ licenses/ by-sa/ 3.0/ deed.en]
This Chen's ERD example is included in the Entity-Relationship Diagram (ERD) solution from the Software Development area of ConceptDraw Solution Park.

Chen's ERD

Used Solutions

AREA_SOFTWARE_DEVELOPMENT >

Chen Notation

Chen ERD Diagram

The vector stencils library Chen ERD from the solution Entity-Relationship Diagrams (ERD) contains specific symbols of the Chen ERD notation including entity symbols and relationship symbols for ConceptDraw DIAGRAM diagramming and vector drawing software. The Entity-Relationship Diagrams (ERD) solution is contained in the Software Development area of ConceptDraw Solution Park.

OMT Method

This sample shows the OMT method. It was created in ConceptDraw DIAGRAM diagramming and vector drawing software using the Rapid UML Solution from the Software Development area of ConceptDraw Solution Park. All diagrams produced with ConceptDraw DIAGRAM are vector graphic documents and are available for reviewing, modifying, and converting to a variety of formats (image, HTML, PDF file, MS PowerPoint Presentation, Adobe Flash or MS Visio XML).

Jacobson Use Cases Diagram

The vector stencils library UML Use Case contains specific symbols of the UML notation such as actors, actions, associations and relationships for the ConceptDraw DIAGRAM diagramming and vector drawing software. This library is contained in the Rapid UML solution from Software Development area of ConceptDraw Solution Park.

Structured Systems Analysis and Design Method. SSADM with ConceptDraw DIAGRAM

Structured Systems Analysis and Design Method (abbr. SSADM) is a method developed in Great Britain and accepted in 1993 as a national standard for information systems development and analysis. SSADM is based on Data Flow Diagrams and is characterized with presence of clear sequence of steps at projecting, analysis, and documenting of information system. It involves 6 main stages: analysis of existing system or estimation of practicability, requirements definition, determination of technical requirements and equipment cost, development of logical data model, projecting of logical requirements and specification them, physical projecting. Each of them is also divided into several steps defining the tasks that should be fulfilled at a given stage. The most important SSADM elements are flows modeling with help of DFD, data logic modeling with help of LDS (Logical Data Structure) and description of entities behavior. Applying of SSADM is easy with ConceptDraw DIAGRAM diagramming and vector drawing software and Data Flow Diagram solution.