Models can represent systems at different levels of detail. Some models describe a system from a higher, more abstract level, while other models provide greater detail. UML models contain model elements, such as actors, use cases, classes, and packages, and one or more diagrams that show a specific perspective of a system. A model can also contain other, more detailed models.
In the Rational® UML modeling products, you create and manage models using modeling projects in the Project Explorer view. The contents of a modeling project are organized into three types of logical folders: diagrams, models, and profiles. This structure displays the logical containment of the UML model elements, regardless of where they are stored physically. Models contained in a modeling project are displayed under the Models folder, or node. These nodes are not the physical model (.emx) files, but rather the root model elements of the models. Similarly, the corresponding diagrams and profiles are displayed under the Diagrams folder and Profiles folder respectively.
You can use models to do the following things: