14.9. Tips for Developing DSLs

  • Write representative samples of the rules your application requires and test them as you develop.
  • Rules, both in DRL and in DSLR, refer to entities according to the data model representing the application data that should be subject to the reasoning process defined in rules.
  • Writing rules is easier if most of the data model's types are facts.
  • Mark variable parts as parameters. This provides reliable leads for useful DSL entries.
  • You may postpone implementation decisions concerning conditions and actions during this first design phase by leaving certain conditional elements and actions in their DRL form by prefixing a line with a greater sign (">"). (This is also handy for inserting debugging statements.)
  • New rules can be written by reusing the existing DSL definitions, or by adding a parameter to an existing condition or consequence entry.
  • Keep the number of DSL entries small. Using parameters lets you apply the same DSL sentence for similar rule patterns or constraints.