Rule Engine
Software that executes business rules to automate decisions, separating decision logic from application code.
In-Depth Explanation
A rule engine (or business rules engine) is software that executes business rules to make automated decisions. It separates decision logic from application code, making it easier to maintain, audit, and modify business rules.
How rule engines work:
- Rules defined in business-friendly format
- Engine evaluates conditions against data
- Actions executed when conditions match
- Rules can be chained and prioritised
- Decisions logged for audit
Rule types:
- If-then rules: Simple conditional logic
- Decision tables: Matrix of conditions and outcomes
- Decision trees: Hierarchical decision paths
- Scoring models: Weighted factor calculations
- Complex event processing: Pattern detection across events
Common applications:
- Loan and credit decisions
- Insurance underwriting and claims
- Pricing and discount calculations
- Fraud detection
- Compliance checking
- Routing and assignment
Business Context
Rule engines enable consistent, auditable decisions at scale while allowing business users to modify rules without code changes.
How Clever Ops Uses This
We implement rule engines for Australian businesses needing consistent, auditable decisions that can be modified without developer involvement.
Example Use Case
"A lending rule engine that evaluates loan applications against credit criteria, automatically approving low-risk applications and flagging others for review."