Objects, Nodes, and Links

The basic building blocks of a CAST Imaging graph.

Every graph in CAST Imaging is made of three things: objects, nodes, and links.

Objects

An object is a code artifact. Examples include:

  • A Java class or method
  • A C# interface
  • A SQL table or stored procedure
  • A REST endpoint
  • A configuration file

CAST Imaging discovers objects automatically during analysis.

Nodes

A node is the visual representation of an object on the canvas. At high zoom levels (Level 1–4), a node can represent a group of objects — for example, an entire technology layer or a module. At the lowest level (Objects level), each node represents one individual object.

A link is a relationship between two objects. The main link types are:

Link type Meaning
Call / Callee Object A calls object B
Use Object A uses object B
Access Object A reads or writes to a data source
Inherit Object A inherits from object B
Reference Object A references object B

Links are directed (they have a source and a target). The direction is shown by an arrow on the canvas.

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