Behavior : State Machine Diagrams - What is a State and State Machine - States and Modes

5 important questions on Behavior : State Machine Diagrams - What is a State and State Machine - States and Modes

The words STATE and MODE are often used interchangeably, though MODE is...

Not a term in UML


While “state” is the more general term, some modelers use “mode” to refer to a system-level state that changes how individual objects behave when the system is in that state.   

Give examples of the different modes:

  • A System might be in Normal Operation Mode (give an example)

  • A System might be in Intensified Operation Mode (give an example)  

  • A System might be in Degraded Operation Mode (give an example)  


  • A System might be in Support Operation Mode (give an example)  

  • A System might be in Normal Operation Mode (Running, Idle, or Stopped)

  • A System might be in Intensified Operation Mode (Alert or Emergency)  

  • A System might be in Degraded Operation Mode (Error or Recovery)


  • A System might be in Support Operation Mode (Test or Maintenance)  

Give an example of Mode in a Library system and an example of Mode in a Hailed Car system.

In a Library system, there probably would be modes for Backup and Inventory.

In the Hailed Car
system, we would expect a Surge Pricing Mode.
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Because an object’s behavior is dependent on its state, it is often convenient to have a ...........  containing the name of the possible state so that it can be easily tested.

Because an object’s behavior is dependent on its state, it is often convenient to have a private enumerated attribute in the object containing the name of the possible state so that it can be easily tested.

Modes are modeled exactly like ...... of a System object.

Modes are modeled exactly like States of a System object.

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