Component

A Component is an entity that forms a constituent part of a larger entity through composition relationships (enabling functional contributions to system behaviors and emergent properties).

• AKA: Constituent, Part, Element, Building Block, Module.
• Context:
  • It can typically contribute Functional Capability to its containing system.
  • It can typically interact with other Components through component interfaces.
  • It can typically maintain Component Identity within composite structures.
  • It can typically enable System Modularity through component boundarys.
  • It can typically support Component Substitution through interface compatibility.
  • ...
  • It can often exhibit Component Dependency on other components.
  • It can often undergo Component Lifecycle through lifecycle phases.
  • It can often require Component Configuration for component integration.
  • It can often provide Component Service to component consumers.
  • ...
  • It can range from being a Simple Component to being a Complex Component, depending on its component internal structure.
  • It can range from being a Physical Component to being an Abstract Component, depending on its component materiality.
  • It can range from being an Essential Component to being an Optional Component, depending on its component criticality.
  • It can range from being a Static Component to being a Dynamic Component, depending on its component behavior variability.
  • It can range from being an Independent Component to being a Dependent Component, depending on its component coupling degree.
  • It can range from being a Primitive Component to being a Composite Component, depending on its component decomposability.
  • It can range from being a Generic Component to being a Specialized Component, depending on its component domain specificity.
  • ...
  • It can have Component Properties for component characterization.
  • It can participate in Component Composition for system construction.
  • It can undergo Component Evolution through component modifications.
  • It can exhibit Component Behavior within system operations.
  • ...
• Example(s):
  • Physical Components, such as:
    • Mechanical Components, such as:
      • Gear enabling mechanical power transmission.
      • Bearing providing mechanical motion support.
      • Spring offering mechanical energy storage.
    • Electronic Components, such as:
      • Resistor controlling electrical current flow.
      • Capacitor storing electrical energy.
      • Integrated Circuit (IC) performing electronic computation.
    • Biological Components, such as:
      • Organelle providing cellular function.
      • Organ supporting organism function.
      • Cell forming tissue structure.
  • Abstract Components, such as:
    • Software Components, such as:
      • Software Module providing code functionality.
      • Software Library offering reusable functions.
      • Software Service delivering computational capability.
    • Algorithm Components, such as:
      • Subalgorithm performing computational subtask.
      • Algorithm Phase executing process step.
      • Data Structure organizing information storage.
    • Knowledge Components, such as:
      • Concept representing knowledge unit.
      • Rule encoding knowledge relationship.
      • Fact storing knowledge assertion.
  • System Components, such as:
    • Computing System Components, such as:
      • CPU executing computational instructions.
      • Memory storing computational data.
      • Network Interface enabling system communication.
    • Linguistic Components, such as:
      • Phoneme forming sound unit.
      • Morpheme carrying meaning unit.
      • Word creating lexical unit.
  • Organizational Components, such as:
    • Business Components, such as:
      • Department providing organizational function.
      • Process implementing business operation.
      • Role defining organizational responsibility.
    • Product Components, such as:
      • Feature delivering product capability.
      • Module providing product functionality.
      • Interface enabling product interaction.
  • Mathematical Components, such as:
    • Mathematical Term representing mathematical element.
    • Equation Component forming mathematical expression.
    • Proof Step constructing logical argument.
  • Temporal Components, such as:
    • Event marking temporal occurrence.
    • Phase defining temporal period.
    • Milestone indicating temporal achievement.
  • ...
• Counter-Example(s):
  • Whole, which contains components rather than being one.
  • System, which emerges from component interactions rather than being a single part.
  • Property, which describes rather than constitutes entity structure.
  • Relationship, which connects rather than forms part of entitys.
  • Context, which surrounds rather than comprises entity content.
  • Aggregate, which loosely collects rather than functionally integrates elements.
• See: System, ComponentOf Relation, Composition, Part-Whole Relationship, Modularity, Decomposition, Integration, Assembly, Structure, Architecture, Composite Entity, Complex System, Emergence, Hierarchy.

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