The other day I asked for an analysis or at least an UML diagram since we are having quite some troubles and my boss looked disgusted at me for asking such a question. I’m not a professional backend developer, so I don’t know how it works professionally
I find that code written towards fulfilling some specific database design is usually a nightmare about 20minutes into the project. You end up with garbage semantics and interfaces because you’re building an entire app for the sake of storing stuff in a database. It’s an ass backwards approach to software development imo, software is about solving a human problem and data persistence is just one of the steps in the solution. Instead figure out what data your consumers need, then figure out what domain objects can be extracted from that, then plan how you will persist those domain objects. You’ll end up with less boilerplate, better naming of entities and services and you’ll also find that the words your team uses to talk to each other make sense to your business people not just your dba.
Seems kinda weird to me. It’s completely legit to ask for documentation before making it yourself. Some people are just more visual and need to see diagrams - they certainly help me.
That being said, I haven’t used formal UML in twenty five of professional development. I mostly use class diagrams and flow diagrams. Could be he was reacting to something that he feels is more academic and less practical.
I haven’t made a UML diagram in years. Or an ER diagram, for that matter.
Getting a schema dump and/or generating a diagram from an existing system would be useful, it won’t be UML, but can convey similar information. At a certain point, keeping an updated UML diagram is extra work that is almost guaranteed to go out of data instantly.
As others said, in-depth design is often skipped, especially if the dev team started very small. Sounds like your intuition is right, though - the lack of design bit them on the ass when they realized they missed a part.
I have also been laughed at when I suggested a UML diagram in the past. However, it is helpful. For more visually oriented people even more so.
I’d suggest to go ahead and do it, unless your boss is adamant that it is a waste of time. When they see the result they might be happy.
This is such a broad question. It’s normal and not normal to do so, it’s also normal not to do so.
If it turns out / becomes evident you need a diagram now now’s the time to create one. You may push quality even without seeing the value in it. In some places or with some people it may be unwanted.
