I did use StarUML a while back for teaching (but not for work), and although I liked it for its clean and simple interface, I gave up on it since is based on UML 1, which is far out of date by now. For work, I used IBM's RSA, which is not at all suitable for teaching because it is far too complex (I was actually part of the team that developed this tool). I also used IBM Rhapsody for teaching, but it is not compliant with the UML 2 standard.

Nowadays, I would recommend the open source Eclipse-based Papyrus UML tool, both for teaching and for professional work. It is based on the very latest UML version (UML 2.5.1) and, moreover, is also developing a custom version for teaching. In the past few years Papyrus has undergone significant improvements, since it has been adopted by a number of industrial organizations, including Ericsson (who are directly funding part of its development), Airbus among others. With its Moka addon, it can also support executable modeling using the OMG standard ALF langauge (part of the overall UML standards suite).

I think that the best free software for UML is umbrello. It runs under linux and it is a KDE application. I don't know if it supports the UML BPMN conversion.

I use StarUML and it has a UserUser-defined Diagram support including BPMN (see link 1) but I have never used it for this.

You could try Modelio, which is open source and support BPMN.

http://staruml.sourceforge.net/v1/about-2.php

http://sourceforge.net/projects/modeliouml/?source=directory

Dario, Francesco,

Thank you very much for the prompt replies.

I had some experience with Modelio some time ago, but later I lost it from my sight, and I cannot remember why. It works - a pretty tool!!!

I will try the other tools as well.

My best wishes:)

Some time ago I used Gliffy. Try it (https://www.gliffy.com/uses/uml-software/)

Thank You, Haridimos! No doubt, I will try this tool as well.

My best wishes :)

Hi Nadezhda, would MS Visio be a choice? It is able to model BPMN 2.0 and for educational purpose it should be free or at least affordable. I used Visio to model some large process diagrams in BPMN 2 and it was even possible to connect it to a database with attribute data.

regards

Wolfgang 

Thanks a lot, Wolfgang.

I agree that Visio is quite O.K. It is available through MSDNAA. And its shapes look much better now ;)

My best wishes from Varna and the Black sea:)

Hello Nadezhda, 

My colleagues and I have been working with StarUML for 8 years now. We've used it for modeling classes, objects, state machines, and other stuff like profiling, etc. We've also implemented code generation plugins for it. It is quite a good tool. Although StarUML is no longer supported by its developers, we still use it today and it works for us. Of course, it has its flaws, but we can live with it. Interestingly, the same crew are now working on StarUML2 (http://staruml.io/) and I think it is definitely worth trying.

Best regards :)

Hello Nadezha,

In his blog (http://modeling-languages.com/uml-tools/), Jordi Cabot collected and categorized an interesting list of UML tools.  This list is genuinely and frequently updated with new items.

I hope this helps !

Kind regards

http://modeling-languages.com/uml-tools/

ArgoUML and Rational Rose.

We mostly use Enterpise Architect as Modelling Tool.

However a good partner of K&A uses a tool called eTrice, which is  based on ROOM.

His contact is: Thomas Schütz, mailto: [email protected]

Thomas is a real expert in Domain Specific Languages!!

I did use StarUML a while back for teaching (but not for work), and although I liked it for its clean and simple interface, I gave up on it since is based on UML 1, which is far out of date by now. For work, I used IBM's RSA, which is not at all suitable for teaching because it is far too complex (I was actually part of the team that developed this tool). I also used IBM Rhapsody for teaching, but it is not compliant with the UML 2 standard.

Nowadays, I would recommend the open source Eclipse-based Papyrus UML tool, both for teaching and for professional work. It is based on the very latest UML version (UML 2.5.1) and, moreover, is also developing a custom version for teaching. In the past few years Papyrus has undergone significant improvements, since it has been adopted by a number of industrial organizations, including Ericsson (who are directly funding part of its development), Airbus among others. With its Moka addon, it can also support executable modeling using the OMG standard ALF langauge (part of the overall UML standards suite).

Zarko, Amine, Leonardo, Werner, and Bran,

Thanks a lot for taking the time to reply my qustion. I appreciate it!

Cheers :)

Hello Nadezda,

we are using PowerDesigner for information systems courses and MagicDraw for modeling and model-driven development courses. PowerDesigner doesn't completely support tha latest UML versions, but it has very good support for transformation of UML to ER models. MagicDraw closely follows every UML 2.x release. Both companies are offering university licenses.

For undergraduate teaching, I used Visual Paradigm:-)

I use ArgoUML [1] and yEd [2].

Both are open source, nice and easy to use. 

[1] http://argouml.tigris.org

[2] https://www.yworks.com/en/products/yfiles/yed/

A good choice is Visual Paradigm Community Edition. You can download it in this URL: http://www.visual-paradigm.com/download/community.jsp.

I use Enterprise Architect for professional use, and Astah community for teaching.

I suggest "Power Designer" . It has simple and great interface and many option for customize , 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PowerDesigner

Nadezhda Filipova,

In a web mapping course I completed in 2012, taught by a US Forestry and Parks Service consultant, we used open source DIA software for UML diagramming http://dia-installer.de/shapes/UML/index.html.en and DIA for Entity Relationship diagrams http://dia-installer.de/shapes/ER/index.html.en. To convert the UML to DDL SQL requires a third party conversion tool. In class we used a Perl script as a Windows Batch program. I found one example using a tool named tedia2sql: http://www.coderholic.com/automatic-sql-generation-using-dia/. In the comments there was a mention that tedia2sql does not work in Windows. 

Dear Gordana, Leslie, Saman, Bruno, Osvaldo, Joshua, Zhiming, 

Dear All,

Thank you so much for you replies. I have a huge list now to examine ;)

All of you, be happy and very successful!!

Respectfully yours,

N.F.

I'd used several UML tools such Rational Rose, Paradigm Plus and argoUML. But, since the last few years, I only use Enterprise Architect. It is updated regularly (every three months), consist of many useful features, and very good graphical editors.

Dear Wan,

I've followed a similar path, and I do agree that EA has a very good support, and which is more it  produces beautiful diagrams. Besides, the business modeling profile can be included there.

Thanks a lot for fruitful contribution!

My best wishes!

N.F.

Dear Wan,

I use Astah Community Edition.

For my purposes is good.

For t we teaching StarUML is good enough.

Prezada Nadezhda!

Geralmente utilizo a ferramenta Astah Community.

Abraços,

Let me strongly advocate for the "Modelio Tool". i have been using it during more than five years at various teaching levels with students in basic education (bachelor and graduate degrees) as well as in further education with skilled IT specialists. Despite feeling slightly embarrassed at the first steps when discovering the tool, computer science student beginners rapidly get enough control to achieve the specification of a project involving 2 or 3 participants during several weeks. Besides, students use the Modelio tool to build their end-of-studies training report, even if the tool is neither provided nor even known in the company they work for. The Modelio tool is in no way  a rough drawing tool, but actually is a complete environment for managing and visualizing the objects corresponding to UML language concepts ; it allows a deep insight of the underlying metamodel.

Dear Marie, Reni, Lazlo, and Coskun,

Thanks a lot for taking the time and answersing my quetsion. I'm really glad to see that there many RG member involved with UML and UML CASE.

My special thanks to Marie, for the profound analysis of Modelio.

Thank you all. You are just great!

Be happy now :)

Truly, N.F.

I strongly recommend using Modelio.

There is an open source distribution at modelio.org, and a commercial but free for universities at modeliosoft.com.

Modelio is as far as I know the only open source tool that integrates UML and BPMN.

There is also a profile for TOGAF

Thanks a lot, Mr Desfray!

Your advice is very valuable to me.

Respectfully,

N.F.

I'm using Astah Community. It's free, it's easy to use and to explain. 

http://astah.net/editions/community

Another option is Bizagi Modeler, http://www.bizagi.com/

I am using Astah community, it is easy and free to use

Dear Glaucio, Omar, Hayel,

Thank you for your feedback and valuable suggestions.

Cheers :)

Free edition: IBM Rational Modeler (can be upgraded to Rhapsody)

For academic users: Rhapsody is free for research and classroom.

Professionally i use MagicDraw  and Enterprise Architect. MagicDraw provides support to  interface with with IBM DOORS for requirements management if needed.

MagicDraw supports BPMN, UML business process, architecture, software and system modeling tool with teamwork support. They used to provide a free edition back then.

Long ago at the university i used ArgoUML, Astah, Creately.

Wit Creately you can also do online UML modeling without any installation: http://creately.com/

enjoy :)

Dear Noufel,

Thank you so much for your profound reply. I appreciate it!

My sunny regards from from the Black sea :)

use Enterprise Architect (EA) Project

I use MagicDraw.

StarUML

 Astah community

Sparx Systems Enterprise Architect (EA)

I use Astah Community Edition.

I recommend free and open source Eclipse-based Papyrus UML tool. It supports all 14 UML diagrams. 

Visual Paradigm for UML is  also good and has a free Community Edition.

http://www.visual-paradigm.com/download/community.jsp

One of the most common ways of passing on knowledge is through diagrams using UML drawings. UML shapes are easy to create, but automating their creation and rearrangement saves time and also adds consistency. Most of us want something that draws what we want quickly and easily.

http://www.linuxjournal.com/article/8334

Take a look at Visual Paradigm Community Edtion. It features all the UML diagrams and ERD tools essentially in system and database design. Visual Paradigm Community Edition provides the most easy-to-use and intuitive visual modeling environment with rich set of export and import capabilities such as XMI, XML, PDF, JPG & much more! You can try it online https://www.apponfly.com/en/visual-paradigm?KAI

 Dear Kristina,

Thanks a lot for your contribution to this thread!

My bw from Varna (Bulgaria) and the Black sea :)

NF

I used StarUML, here is the example of my flowchart design:

Although the question is from 2015, but this answer can be helpful for someone who has the same question.

Here is a comparison between UML tools:

https://socialcompare.com/en/comparison/uml-tools

Personally, I use modelio.