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Systems modeling language
Systems modeling language
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The systems modeling language (SysML)[1] is a general-purpose modeling language for systems engineering applications. It supports the specification, analysis, design, verification and validation of a broad range of systems and systems-of-systems.

SysML was originally developed by an open source specification project, and includes an open source license for distribution and use.[2] SysML is defined as an extension of a subset of the Unified Modeling Language (UML) using UML's profile mechanism. The language's extensions were designed to support systems engineering activities.

Contrast with UML

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SysML offers several systems engineering specific improvements over UML, which has been developed as a software modeling language. These improvements include the following:

  • SysML's diagrams express system engineering concepts better due to the removal of UML's software-centric restrictions and adds two new diagram types, requirement and parametric diagrams. The former can be used for requirements engineering; the latter can be used for performance analysis and quantitative analysis. Consequent to these enhancements, SysML is able to model a wide range of systems, which may include hardware, software, information, processes, personnel, and facilities.
  • SysML is a comparatively small language that is easier to learn and apply.[3] Since SysML removes many of UML's software-centric constructs, the overall language is smaller both in diagram types and total constructs.
  • SysML allocation tables support common kinds of allocations. Whereas UML provides only limited support for tabular notations, SysML furnishes flexible allocation tables that support requirements allocation, functional allocation, and structural allocation. This capability facilitates automated verification and validation (V&V) and gap analysis.
  • SysML model management constructs support models, views, and viewpoints. These constructs extend UML's capabilities and are architecturally aligned with IEEE-Std-1471-2000 (IEEE Recommended Practice for Architectural Description of Software Intensive Systems).

SysML reuses seven of UML 2's fourteen "nominative" types of diagrams,[4] and adds two diagrams (requirement and parametric diagrams) for a total of nine diagram types. SysML also supports allocation tables, a tabular format that can be dynamically derived from SysML allocation relationships. A table which compares SysML and UML 2 diagrams is available in the SysML FAQ.

Consider modeling an automotive system: with SysML one can use Requirement diagrams to efficiently capture functional, performance, and interface requirements, whereas with UML one is subject to the limitations of use case diagrams to define high-level functional requirements. Likewise, with SysML one can use Parametric diagrams to precisely define performance and quantitative constraints like maximum acceleration, minimum curb weight, and total air conditioning capacity. UML provides no straightforward mechanism to capture this sort of essential performance and quantitative information.

Concerning the rest of the automotive system, enhanced activity diagrams and state machine diagrams can be used to specify the embedded software control logic and information flows for the on-board automotive computers. Other SysML structural and behavioral diagrams can be used to model factories that build the automobiles, as well as the interfaces between the organizations that work in the factories.

History

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The SysML initiative originated in a January 2001 decision by the International Council on Systems Engineering (INCOSE) Model Driven Systems Design workgroup to customize the UML for systems engineering applications. Following this decision, INCOSE and the Object Management Group (OMG), which maintains the UML specification, jointly chartered the OMG Systems Engineering Domain Special Interest Group (SE DSIG) in July 2001. The SE DSIG, with support from INCOSE and the ISO AP 233 workgroup, developed the requirements for the modeling language, which were subsequently issued by the OMG parting in the UML for Systems Engineering Request for Proposal (UML for SE RFP; OMG document ad/03-03-41) in March 2003.[5]

In 2003 David Oliver and Sanford Friedenthal of INCOSE requested that Cris Kobryn, who successfully led the UML 1 and UML 2 language design teams, lead their joint effort to respond to the UML for SE RFP.[6] As Chair of the SysML Partners, Kobryn coined the language name "SysML" (short for "Systems Modeling Language"), designed the original SysML logo, and organized the SysML Language Design team as an open source specification project.[7] Friedenthal served as Deputy Chair, and helped organize the original SysML Partners team.

In January 2005, the SysML Partners published the SysML v0.9 draft specification. Later, in August 2005, Friedenthal and several other original SysML Partners left to establish a competing SysML Submission Team (SST).[6] The SysML Partners released the SysML v1.0 Alpha specification in November 2005.

OMG SysML

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After a series of competing SysML specification proposals, a SysML Merge Team was proposed to the OMG in April 2006.[8] This proposal was voted upon and adopted by the OMG in July 2006 as OMG SysML, to differentiate it from the original open source specification from which it was derived. Because OMG SysML is derived from open source SysML, it also includes an open source license for distribution and use.

The OMG SysML v. 1.0 specification was issued by the OMG as an Available Specification in September 2007.[9] The current version of OMG SysML is v1.6, which was issued by the OMG in December 2019.[10] In addition, SysML was published by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) in 2017 as a full International Standard (IS), ISO/IEC 19514:2017 (Information technology -- Object management group systems modeling language).[11]

The OMG has been working on the next generation of SysML and issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) for version 2 on December 8, 2017, following its open standardization process.[12][13] The resulting specification, which will incorporate language enhancements from experience applying the language, will include a UML profile, a metamodel, and a mapping between the profile and metamodel.[12] A second RFP for a SysML v2 Application Programming Interface (API) and Services RFP was issued in June 2018. Its aim is to enhance the interoperability of model-based systems engineering tools.

Diagrams

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SysML includes 9 types of diagram, some of which are taken from UML.

Tools

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There are several modeling tool vendors offering SysML support. Lists of tool vendors who support SysML or OMG SysML can be found on the SysML Forum[14] or SysML[15] websites, respectively.

Model exchange

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As an OMG UML 2.0 profile, SysML models are designed to be exchanged using the XML Metadata Interchange (XMI) standard. In addition, architectural alignment work is underway to support the ISO 10303 (also known as STEP, the Standard for the Exchange of Product model data) AP-233 standard for exchanging and sharing information between systems engineering software applications and tools.

See also

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References

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Further reading

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Systems modeling language

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The Systems Modeling Language (SysML) is a general-purpose graphical modeling language for systems engineering that supports the specification, analysis, design, verification, and validation of complex systems using a model-based approach. Defined as an extension of a subset of the Unified Modeling Language (UML) via UML's profile mechanism, SysML adapts UML's software-focused constructs to address interdisciplinary systems engineering needs, including hardware, software, and human elements. SysML's development originated in January 2001 when the (INCOSE) formed a to customize UML for applications. In July 2001, INCOSE and the (OMG) chartered the Systems Engineering Domain Special Interest Group (SE DSIG) to advance this effort. By 2003, key contributors including Sanford Friedenthal and Cris Kobryn organized the SysML Partners, an industry consortium, to refine the language in response to OMG's UML for Request for Proposals (RFP). The OMG adopted SysML version 1.0 as a standard in September 2007, marking its formal release. SysML v1.x comprises nine primary diagram types that enable modeling across structural, behavioral, and requirements domains: requirement diagrams for capturing and deriving requirements; block definition diagrams and internal block diagrams for defining system structure and interconnections; parametric diagrams for engineering analyses; package diagrams for organizing model elements; activity diagrams for operational behaviors; sequence diagrams for interaction flows; state machine diagrams for state-based behaviors; and use case diagrams for stakeholder interactions. These diagrams, along with allocation tables for mapping elements across views, promote and reuse in (MBSE). SysML supports MBSE by providing a unified, semantically consistent framework that integrates artifacts, reducing and enhancing collaboration among multidisciplinary teams. The current SysML v1.7 specification, released by OMG in June 2024, remains the stable standard for most applications, while SysML v2.0—finalized in 2025—introduces a kernel-based architecture for greater expressiveness, formal semantics, and tool interoperability in advanced MBSE practices. Adopted as an ISO International Standard in 2017, SysML has become integral to industries such as aerospace, automotive, and defense for managing system complexity throughout the lifecycle.

Introduction

Definition and Purpose

The Systems Modeling Language (SysML) is a general-purpose graphical for specifying, , designing, and verifying complex systems that may include hardware, software, , processes, personnel, and facilities. SysML's primary purposes include supporting (MBSE) to enhance system development efficiency, enable early error detection and mitigation, and promote interdisciplinary collaboration across engineering teams. By providing a unified visual notation, it facilitates communication among stakeholders and integrates system models with analysis tools for and verification. As an extension of the (UML), SysML incorporates domain-specific profiles and notations tailored for , broadening UML's software-centric focus to encompass multidisciplinary systems while retaining compatibility with software modeling. Key concepts in SysML emphasize requirements capture and traceability, structural modeling through blocks and hierarchies, behavioral representations via activities and state machines, and parametric diagrams for defining constraints and enabling quantitative analyses. SysML emerged to address UML's limitations in handling non-software elements, such as insufficient support for hierarchical system architectures, , and parametric equations, which hindered effective modeling in complex domains. This need was particularly driven by requirements in industries like , automotive, and defense, where UML's constructs proved inadequate for integrating hardware, software, and human elements.

Scope and Applications

SysML encompasses the full lifecycle of complex systems engineering, from requirements capture and analysis through design, verification, and validation, enabling the specification, analysis, and documentation of system architectures in a standardized manner. It supports multidisciplinary teams by facilitating the modeling of system interfaces, resource allocations, and trade-off studies, which are essential for integrating hardware, software, and human elements across diverse engineering domains. In practice, SysML is widely applied in model-based systems engineering (MBSE) for developing complex systems. For instance, NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory has utilized SysML to model complex system architectures, such as in the Thirty Meter Telescope project and broader space exploration initiatives, where it aids in mitigating risks and reducing costs through integrated system representations. In the automotive sector, SysML supports the design of electric vehicle architectures, exemplified by its use in specifying hybrid sport utility vehicles to balance performance parameters like battery efficiency and thermal management. Defense applications include weapon system integration, where SysML enables the modeling of hardware-in-the-loop simulations and system-of-systems architectures to ensure interoperability and mission effectiveness. In healthcare, SysML is employed for medical device modeling, such as applying ISO 14971 risk management processes to activity models, enhancing safety and regulatory compliance. Key benefits of SysML include enabling executable simulations for behavior validation, risk analysis through constraint modeling, and full from requirements to implementation, which collectively improve reliability and reduce development errors. Parametric diagrams, in particular, allow for modeling in early phases by representing mathematical constraints and dependencies, such as evaluating trade-offs in metrics like reliability or . As of 2025, emerging trends involve SysML's integration with digital twins for real-time monitoring and AI-driven analysis, where models derived from SysML diagrams support automated generation of virtual representations for and optimization.

Relationship to UML

The following primarily describes the relationship for SysML v1.x, defined as a profile of UML 2.x. SysML v2.0, finalized in 2024, uses a new kernel-based metamodel (the Kernel Modeling Language, or KerML) and is not a UML profile, though it retains and adapts many UML concepts for enhanced expressiveness.

Similarities

SysML builds directly on the foundational elements of the Unified Modeling Language (UML) by reusing a majority of its metamodel, notation, and semantics, ensuring compatibility and familiarity for modelers transitioning from software to systems engineering contexts. Specifically, SysML reuses seven of UML 2.x's fourteen diagram types with minimal modifications: activity diagrams for modeling system behaviors and flows, sequence diagrams for interaction scenarios, state machine diagrams for dynamic state transitions, use case diagrams for functional requirements, package diagrams for organizing model elements, class diagrams repurposed as block definition diagrams to represent system structure, and object diagrams adapted as internal block diagrams to depict interconnections. This selective reuse allows SysML to leverage UML's established graphical conventions without introducing entirely new syntax for core modeling tasks. At the semantic level, SysML inherits UML's core principles, including action semantics for behavioral modeling, object-oriented concepts such as encapsulation, , and polymorphism, and basic graphical notation standards. Both languages draw from the same metaclasses in UML's infrastructure library, enabling SysML to extend UML through profiles rather than redefining foundational elements from scratch. This shared semantic foundation ensures that models created in SysML can interoperate with UML tools and artifacts, as SysML is formally defined as a UML profile that references and extends existing UML metaclasses. The extensive reuse—encompassing the majority of UML's superstructure—means that a significant portion of SysML's content is derived from UML 2.x, with extensions tailored for . This design choice significantly reduces the for practitioners already proficient in UML, as they can apply familiar concepts to broader system-level modeling while adapting to SysML's targeted additions. By minimizing divergence from UML, SysML promotes tool interoperability and accelerates adoption in multidisciplinary engineering environments.

Differences and Extensions

SysML diverges from UML by eliminating several software-centric diagram types to streamline modeling for broader contexts. Specifically, SysML omits UML's communication, object, component, deployment, interaction overview, profile, and timing diagrams, reducing the total from UML's 14 diagram types to SysML's 9, which makes the language more concise and less biased toward . In their place, SysML introduces requirements diagrams for capturing and tracing textual requirements and parametric diagrams for representing mathematical constraints and analyses, enabling better support for verification and . To extend UML's capabilities for modeling complex systems, SysML introduces the block as a of UML's class, serving as a versatile abstraction for hardware, software, processes, and other system elements with such as parts, references, and value . Ports in SysML build on UML ports but add flow ports to specify item flows of , , or , while standard ports retain UML's interface-based client-server interactions; interfaces are specified through provided and required features in interface blocks, facilitating modular interconnections. Additionally, allocation relationships enable the mapping of behavioral elements (e.g., activities) to structural elements (e.g., blocks), supporting design decisions like function-to-component assignments and enhancing across model views. SysML employs UML's profile mechanism to define stereotypes that extend metaclasses for systems-specific semantics, such as <> for structural elements, <> for specifying verifiable conditions, and <> for defining units and quantities in contexts. These stereotypes, along with others like <>, allow customization without altering UML's core, promoting with UML tools. These modifications address UML's limitations in systems engineering by accommodating physical properties (e.g., units and quantities via value types), continuous and dynamic behaviors (e.g., through parametrics for simulation integration), and multidisciplinary integration across hardware, software, and human elements, thereby supporting holistic system design and analysis.

History

Development Origins

The development of the Systems Modeling Language (SysML) originated in January 2001, when the International Council on Systems Engineering (INCOSE) established the Model Driven Systems Design working group to customize the (UML) for applications. In July 2001, INCOSE and the (OMG) chartered the Systems Engineering Domain Special Interest Group (SE DSIG) to advance this effort. This initiative addressed the limitations of UML, which was primarily oriented toward , by seeking to adapt it for broader needs. The primary motivation was the increasing complexity of socio-technical systems, which required a to support specification, analysis, design, across hardware, software, and human elements, beyond software-centric focus. In March 2003, INCOSE collaborated with the (OMG) to issue the UML for (RFP), outlining requirements for a UML profile tailored to . This RFP spurred collaborative efforts involving industry, government, and academia to develop extensions for requirements, behavior, structure, and parametrics. Key contributors included the INCOSE Systems Modeling Language (SysML) Working Group, which provided foundational guidance, along with the informal SysML Partners group led by Cris Kobryn (chair and chief editor) and featuring participants from Telelogic, , , PivotPoint Technology, NIST, , , and . Industry input came from and defense leaders such as and , with Sanford Friedenthal () serving as deputy chair before departing in 2005 to lead a rival development team; academic and government entities like NIST contributed to aspects. These groups prototyped extensions through vendors including , EmbeddedPlus, I-Logix, and Telelogic. Early milestones culminated in November 2005, when two competing proposals—the SysML Partners submission (led by ) and the Friedenthal-led team submission—were delivered to the OMG. In April 2006, the SysML Merge Team, chaired by Friedenthal, integrated these into a unified draft specification, which was adopted by the OMG in July 2006 as the basis for SysML v1.0.

Standardization and Versions

The Systems Modeling Language (SysML) achieved formal standardization through the (OMG), an international consortium dedicated to developing technology standards for software and . The OMG adopted SysML v1.0 in July 2006 following submission by the SysML Partners (a collaboration including INCOSE, which originated the language's development), with the specification undergoing finalization and becoming available as an OMG standard in September 2007. The evolution of SysML v1 proceeded through several minor revisions to address clarifications, alignments with the Unified Modeling Language (UML), and implementation feedback. SysML v1.1, published in December 2008, incorporated corrections and clarifications from early adopters without introducing major structural changes. SysML v1.2, released in June 2010, made further minor adjustments to improve usability. SysML v1.3, issued in June 2012, aligned the language with UML 2.4 and refined port mechanisms, including support for nested and proxy ports to better model interfaces in complex systems. Subsequent updates included SysML v1.4 in August 2015 for additional port enhancements and viewpoint specifications; v1.5 in May 2017, which synchronized with UML 2.5, deprecated certain flow specifications, and was published as the ISO/IEC 19514:2017 international standard; and v1.6 in December 2019, adding formal Object Constraint Language (OCL) definitions for stereotypes to enhance semantic precision. The most recent v1 update, SysML v1.7 in June 2024, focused on minor fixes and maintenance to support ongoing tool interoperability. SysML v2.0 represents a significant redesign, departing from the UML profile-based approach of v1 to adopt a standalone kernel-based architecture grounded in the Kernel Modeling Language (KerML). Development of v2 began in 2017 under OMG auspices, with beta specifications—including KerML, SysML v2, and a supporting API—adopted in June 2023 after extensive pilots and demonstrations from 2023 to 2024 that tested precision, expressiveness, and automation capabilities. The OMG approved final adoption of SysML v2.0 on July 21, 2025, with the specification published in September 2025, enabling more automated model manipulation, consistent semantics, and reduced ambiguity for model-based systems engineering. Looking ahead, SysML v2 adoption is supported by ongoing industry pilots evaluating its integration into workflows, alongside efforts to harmonize with complementary OMG standards such as the Unified Architecture Framework (UAF) for enterprise and system-of-systems modeling.

SysML v1

The latest specification for SysML v1 is version 1.7, formally adopted by the (OMG) in January 2024.

Diagrams in v1

SysML version 1 introduces nine diagram types, derived from UML with specific extensions to support needs such as , structural decomposition, , and parametric . These diagrams provide a visual means to represent different aspects of a system model, enabling engineers to capture , , requirements, and parametrics in an integrated manner. Unlike UML's broader software focus, SysML's diagrams emphasize hardware-software integration and interdisciplinary concerns, with notations like stereotypes (e.g., <>, <>) and compartments for organizing elements such as properties, operations, and parts. The Requirement Diagram facilitates the specification and management of requirements by depicting them as textual elements linked to other model elements for traceability. It uses notation such as requirement blocks with compartments for ID, text, and rationale, and relationships like satisfy, verify, deriveReq, and trace to connect requirements to design elements, ensuring bidirectional traceability throughout the system lifecycle. This diagram extends UML's capabilities by introducing requirement-specific stereotypes and containment structures, allowing requirements to be organized hierarchically and allocated to system components. Block Definition Diagrams (BDDs) define the structural elements of the using blocks as the primary modeling construct, analogous to UML classes but extended for systems with features like value properties, parts, and reference properties. Blocks are represented as rectangles with optional compartments for parts, references, value properties, operations, and constraints; relationships include associations, generalizations, and compositions. BDDs support hierarchy and interfaces through ports and flows, enabling the definition of reusable components and their interconnections at an abstract level. Internal Block Diagrams (IBDs) illustrate the internal of a block by showing parts, ports, connectors, and item flows, providing a black-box view of collaborations within a context. Notation includes block boundaries with parts as smaller rectangles inside, connectors as lines with flow directions, and full ports for typed interactions; this extends UML's composite diagrams by incorporating flow ports and item flows for physical or exchanges. IBDs are used to allocate behavior to and verify interfaces between components. Parametric Diagrams support engineering analysis by binding model parameters to constraint equations defined in constraint blocks, allowing quantitative evaluation of properties like or reliability. They feature usage points connected by constraint parameters, with notation resembling IBDs but focused on mathematical relationships; constraint blocks extend UML's constraint notation with parametric equations and binding connectors. These diagrams integrate with tools to execute analyses, such as optimizing trade-offs. Package Diagrams organize the model into packages for modular , showing dependencies and namespaces similar to UML but with SysML-specific profiles applied to packages. Rectangles represent packages containing other elements, with and dependency arrows; they aid in controlling model complexity by grouping related diagrams and views. Activity Diagrams model behavior as flows of actions, objects, and control logic, extended from UML to include continuous flows, object nodes for rates, and allocations to structure. Notation includes rounded rectangles for actions, diamonds for decisions, and bars for object flows; enhancements like essential and operational activities support both high-level and detailed behavioral specifications, such as resource-constrained processes. Sequence Diagrams depict interactions between parts or actors over time, focusing on message exchanges and lifelines, with SysML extensions for timing and continuous interactions via flow ports. Vertical lifelines represent entities, horizontal arrows show messages or signals; they are used to specify dynamic behavior in scenarios like protocol realizations. State Machine Diagrams describe the state-based behavior of blocks or parts, using UML state machines with SysML additions for doActivity behaviors and entry/exit actions tied to structure. Rounded rectangles denote states, transitions as arrows with guards and triggers; this supports modeling reactive systems, such as mode transitions in . Use Case Diagrams identify and use cases to capture functionality from a user perspective, extended with subject boundaries and includes/extends relationships for reuse. Stick figures for , ovals for use cases, and boundaries as rectangles; they provide a high-level view for stakeholder requirements and derivation. These diagrams integrate holistically in SysML v1 modeling by cross-referencing elements—for instance, allocating activity actions to block parts in IBDs or linking requirements to use cases and blocks—fostering a traceable, multi-view representation of the that supports activities. Derived from UML, they share foundational notations but incorporate SysML-specific extensions for .

Semantics and Profiles

SysML v1 establishes its semantics upon the foundational declarative and executable semantics of UML 2.x, which provide a precise basis for modeling system structure, behavior, and constraints. SysML extends these by introducing specialized meanings for concepts, such as flow ports that specify the exchange of items between system elements and value properties that represent quantifiable attributes of blocks with units and dimensions. This foundation ensures that SysML models maintain consistency with UML's metamodel while tailoring interpretations to address interdisciplinary system interactions, like material, energy, or information flows. As a UML profile, SysML v1 defines over 15 stereotypes to extend UML metaclasses for , enabling the representation of domain-specific elements without altering the core UML infrastructure. Key stereotypes include <> for modular system components, <> for capturing stakeholder needs, and <> for defining reusable constraint equations in parametric analyses. Additional stereotypes such as <> support relationships between elements, while tag definitions provide metadata like rationale or risk levels to enhance model and . These extensions ensure strict conformance, restricting models to only SysML-referenced UML metaclasses when the profile is applied. Central to SysML v1 semantics are elements like the allocation relationship, which uses the <> stereotype to map model elements across viewpoints, such as functions to components or logical to physical implementations. Allocations are often visualized in matrices to relate elements from different diagrams, preserving directed semantics and multiplicities inherited from UML dependencies. This mechanism supports without implying execution order, focusing instead on design decisions and verification. The formal aspects of SysML v1 are detailed in the OMG specification's metamodel, which maps SysML to UML elements and defines evaluation rules for constraints in parametric diagrams. Constraint blocks encapsulate mathematical relations that can be bound to model properties, allowing tools to assess system performance under varying conditions, though execution relies on underlying UML action semantics. This metamodel ensures unambiguous interpretation, with no proprietary extensions required for compliance.

SysML v2

Key Changes and Improvements

SysML v2 introduces a fundamental shift in core architecture by adopting the Kernel Modeling Language (KerML) as its lightweight foundation, providing precise semantics and syntax decoupled from the UML constraints that limited v1. This kernel enables a more streamlined metamodel, emphasizing modularity and extensibility through the separation of the core language from viewpoint-specific libraries, which allows users to customize modeling perspectives without altering the underlying structure. Key improvements enhance expressiveness, particularly for , by supporting executable models through rigorous, machine-readable semantics that reduce and enable direct integration with and tools. Interoperability is bolstered via dual textual and graphical concrete syntaxes, alongside a standardized for seamless data exchange across tools, addressing v1's challenges in consistent model sharing. These changes also improve requirements modeling with native concepts for satisfaction (where design elements fulfill requirements) and derivation (where requirements are broken down hierarchically), treating requirements as enforceable constraints rather than mere annotations. Further enhancements include built-in support for variants and configurations, allowing explicit modeling of system alternatives through variation points and redefinitions, which facilitates lifecycle management of complex, evolving designs. This alignment with modern (MBSE) practices addresses v1's scalability limitations for large systems by promoting reusable patterns and nested hierarchies, with early 2025 pilots demonstrating productivity gains through faster verification and reduced modeling errors.

New Diagrams and Features

SysML v2 expands the diagram repertoire from nine in version 1 to fourteen, enabling more comprehensive representation of , , interactions, and . The new diagrams include Part Usage for internal , Connection for interfaces, Item Flow for flows, State Flow for , for interactions, Timing for timing aspects, and Viewpoint for stakeholder views. These additions address limitations in v1 by providing dedicated notations for emergent properties like flows and timing, while retaining core diagrams such as Block Definition, Internal Block, Activity, , , Parametric, and Package. The Part Usage diagram depicts the internal composition of parts within a or subsystem, emphasizing hierarchical and reusage across contexts. Connection diagrams specify interfaces and bindings between elements, facilitating precise definition of how components interact without ambiguity. Item Flow diagrams model the transfer of items, , or across connections, supporting analysis of . Sequence diagrams illustrate object interactions over time, capturing exchanges and lifelines for behavioral verification. Timing diagrams represent temporal constraints and durations, essential for real-time systems. Viewpoint diagrams define customized perspectives for stakeholders, aligning models with architecture frameworks like DoDAF or MODAF. A key innovation in SysML v2 is the introduction of a concrete syntax that supports dual graphical and textual notations, allowing models to be expressed in a - and machine-readable kernel language (KerML) alongside visualizations. This enables automated generation of diagrams from text and vice versa, enhancing precision and reducing interpretation errors. Viewpoint modeling extends this by providing mechanisms to specify and generate views tailored to stakeholder needs, promoting modular and framework-agnostic architectures. Parametric diagrams in v2 feature enhanced constraint definitions, supporting declarative equations that can be solved using external tools for studies and optimization. For instance, constraints can define relationships like performance metrics or resource allocations, enabling quantitative validation. The State Flow diagram uniquely combines state machine semantics with object flows, allowing representation of hybrid discrete-continuous behaviors in a single notation. Requirements in v2 incorporate success criteria as verifiable constraints, such as pass/fail conditions, to ensure and . These diagrams and features integrate to support simulations and digital practices by leveraging a standardized for model execution and with tools like solvers and CAD systems. For example, behavioral diagrams such as State Flow and can drive engines, while parametric constraints feed into workflows, facilitating model-based verification throughout the lifecycle.
Diagram TypePurpose
Part UsageInternal and
ConnectionInterfaces and bindings
Item Flow, , or flows
State FlowState-based behavior with flows
SequenceTemporal interactions
TimingTiming constraints and durations
ViewpointStakeholder-specific views
Block DefinitionStructural elements definition
Internal BlockInternal connections (legacy enhanced)
ActivityFunctional behavior
High-level use scenarios
Requirements specification
ParametricConstraint-based analysis
PackageModel organization

Tools and Interoperability

Supporting Software Tools

Several commercial and tools support the implementation of SysML for and analysis, enabling features such as diagram creation, model validation, and . These tools vary in their support for SysML v1 and v2, with many integrating into broader product lifecycle management () environments. Selection of tools often depends on factors like standards compliance, extensibility through plugins or APIs, and industry , particularly in sectors like where rigorous verification is essential. Dassault Systèmes' Cameo Systems Modeler, part of the Magic suite on the 3DEXPERIENCE platform, provides full support for both SysML v1 and v2 as of 2025, including graphical and textual modeling capabilities. It offers editing for all SysML types, automated validation against rules for model consistency, and via the Cameo Toolkit, which supports parametric execution for and requirements verification. Widely adopted in for its integration with PLM systems and compliance with standards like , Cameo enables version control integration with tools like and facilitates traceability metrics for design progress. No Magic's , now integrated into ' Magic, serves as a foundational tool for with robust SysML v1 and v2 support, emphasizing system design and . It includes features for editing, model validation, and , often used in conjunction with Cameo for extended workflows. Its extensibility through custom profiles and plugins makes it suitable for industry-specific adaptations, with strong adoption in complex engineering domains due to its standards compliance. IBM's Rational Rhapsody, rebranded as IBM Engineering Systems Design Rhapsody, supports SysML v2 through its web-based Rhapsody Systems Engineering edition released in updates as recent as October 2025, alongside comprehensive v1 capabilities. Key features include diagram editing, executable modeling for early validation, and simulation of behavioral models like state machines and parametrics to minimize design rework. It integrates with systems and is valued for its code generation and round-trip engineering, promoting adoption in industries requiring simulation-driven verification. Among open-source options, provides Eclipse-based support primarily for SysML v1, with editors for UML and SysML integrated via GMF, focusing on model-based . It enables editing, basic validation, and extensibility through plugins. is favored for its free and customization in academic and research settings. SysML.js, a web-based open-source tool hosted on , offers lightweight SysML v1 modeling with support for , , and other , exportable to formats like XMI. It emphasizes browser-based editing without installation, suitable for collaborative prototyping, though it lacks advanced simulation or validation features compared to commercial alternatives. Obeo's SysON is an open-source, web-based graphical modeling tool providing full support for SysML v2, developed since 2024 in collaboration with the CEA, suitable for editing and visualizing models in MBSE workflows.

Model Exchange Standards

The primary standard for exchanging SysML models is the XML Metadata Interchange (XMI), an OMG specification that enables serialization of UML-based languages, including SysML, into XML format for tool interoperability. SysML v1 implementations leverage XMI 2.1 or later, with SysML-specific extensions defined in the OMG SysML specification to preserve diagrams, semantics, and profiles during import and export. This allows models created in one tool to be shared across compliant environments, supporting model-based systems engineering (MBSE) workflows. Additional formats complement XMI for specialized exchanges. ISO 10303-233 (AP233), a STEP application protocol for data, facilitates data sharing by mapping SysML elements—such as blocks to view definitions and to requirement view definitions—to neutral formats for integration with CAD and PLM systems. The Open Services for Lifecycle Collaboration (OSLC) provides a RESTful interface for SysML v2 resources, using and URI links to enable exchange between SysML models and other lifecycle artifacts like or tests, without full model duplication. SysML v2 introduces advancements for enhanced automation and precision in exchanges, including a standardized and services for programmatic access to models, alongside support for both XMI and serializations to address limitations in v1 file-based transfers. The format, in particular, supports lightweight, human-readable exchanges suitable for and integrations, while the textual notation in SysML v2 aids in generating consistent serializations. These features were finalized in the OMG's 2025 adoption of SysML v2.0, KerML 1.0, and the SysML v2 specifications, building on pilot implementations that demonstrated and XMI exports for implied connectors and relationships. Key challenges in SysML model exchanges include version mismatches between tools, which can lead to inconsistent serializations in XMI due to varying interpretations of UML profiles, and difficulties in maintaining semantic fidelity across MBSE ecosystems. Solutions involve leveraging SysML profiles to define domain-specific extensions that are explicitly serialized in XMI, ensuring compatibility, and adopting the for runtime queries and updates to mitigate static file limitations.

References

  1. https://www.omg.org/spec/SysML/1.6/About-SysML
  2. https://sysml.org/sysml-faq/what-is-sysml.html
  3. https://www.incose.org/docs/default-source/default-document-library/welcome-to-sysml---10-08-2019.pdf?sfvrsn=1a6a9ec6_0
  4. https://sysml.org/sysml-faq/what-are-sysml-diagram-types.html
  5. https://www.omg.org/spec/SysML/2.0/About-SysML
  6. https://www.omg.org/sysml/The_SysML_Modelling_Language.pdf
  7. https://www.omg.org/sysml/INCOSE-OMGSysML-Tutorial-Final-090901.pdf
  8. https://www.omg.org/sysml/INCOSE-2008-OMGSysML-Tutorial-Final-revb.pdf
  9. https://software.nasa.gov/software/NPO-50126-1
  10. https://ntrs.nasa.gov/api/citations/20240005284/downloads/NASAs_Use_of_MBSE_and_SysML_Modeling.pdf
  11. https://www.omg.org/certification/sysml/HSUV.pdf
  12. https://www.navsea.navy.mil/Portals/103/Documents/Exhibits/SAS2019/RachaelWiseman-SAS-05072019.pdf?ver=2019-05-07-144653-433
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  17. https://sysml.org/sysml-faq/what-is-relation-between-sysml-and-uml.html
  18. http://ndl.ethernet.edu.et/bitstream/123456789/34208/1/25.pdf.pdf
  19. https://www.incose.org/docs/default-source/texas-gulf-coast/delligatte_mbse_sysml_cost_and_quality.pdf?sfvrsn=6685bbc6_2
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  25. https://www.omg.org/spec/SysML/1.3/
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  28. https://www.omg.org/spec/SysML/1.7/
  29. https://www.omg.org/news/releases/pr2023/07-10-23.htm
  30. https://www.omg.org/news/releases/pr2025/07-21-25.htm
  31. https://www.omg.org/spec/SysML/2.0/
  32. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/383852380_Towards_UAF_Implementation_in_SysML_V2
  33. https://www.omg.org/spec/SysML/1.7
  34. https://www.omg.org/spec/SysML/1.7/PDF
  35. https://www.cto.mil/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/SysML-v2-TransitionApproach-1.3.pdf
  36. https://arxiv.org/html/2410.21288v1
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  56. https://www.omgwiki.org/OMGSysML/lib/exe/fetch.php?media=sysml-roadmap:09-sysml_v2-model_interoperability_requirements-reichwein-2015-09-24.pdf
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