A component diagram shows the logical structure of a system.

You use it to answer:

What are the major building blocks?
How do they interact?
Where is the logic, the frontend, the database?

📌 When to Use

Use a component diagram when you need to:

Show how your SAP system is structured
Map interfaces (RFC, IDoc, OData, SOAP)
Explain custom development and integration
Communicate technical architecture clearly

🧩 Notation — The Building Blocks

Concept	PlantUML Syntax	Meaning
Component	`component "Name"`	A logical part (module, API, etc.)
Grouping	`package "Group" { ... }`	Frontend, Backend, Middleware
User	`actor "User"`	Optional: to show entry point
Flow	`A --> B : message`	Connection or interaction
Alias	`component "Long Name" as LN`	Clean up long names
Label	`: OData call`, `: IDoc`, etc.	Describe connection type

You don’t show fields, tables, or code here — only blocks and how they talk.

✅ How to Build It

List the main components: frontend, middleware, backend.
Use package blocks to group them.
Connect with arrows to show flow.
Label arrows with technology (optional).
Keep it logical, not technical.

🔧 Example

pl
CopyEdit
@startuml
title Component Diagram — SAP Integration Example

actor "User"

package "Frontend" {
  component "Fiori App"
}

package "Middleware" {
  component "SAP PO iFlow"
}

package "Backend" {
  component "SAP Gateway"
  component "ABAP Logic"
  component "HANA DB"
}

"User" --> "Fiori App"
"Fiori App" --> "SAP PO iFlow" : SOAP / OData
"SAP PO iFlow" --> "SAP Gateway"
"SAP Gateway" --> "ABAP Logic"
"ABAP Logic" --> "HANA DB"

@enduml

🧠 Summary

Component diagrams help you explain structure fast
Focus on systems, not details
Use it for integration, custom dev, and architecture discussions
The notation is simple: component, package, ->

You can go from zero to diagram in under 1 minute.

Ready for Visual SAP #3 — Activity Diagrams That Actually Help You Think?

We’ll focus on process flow — the logic behind the system.

Visual SAP with plantUML #2 - Component Diagram