Chapter 1. Rule-authoring assets in Red Hat Decision Manager

Red Hat Decision Manager provides several assets that you can use to create business rules for your decision service. Each rule-authoring asset has different advantages, and you might prefer to use one or a combination of multiple assets depending on your goals and needs.

The following table highlights each rule-authoring asset in Decision Central to help you decide or confirm the best method for creating rules in your decision service.

Table 1.1. Rule-authoring assets in Decision Central

AssetHighlightsDocumentation

Guided decision tables

  • Are tables of rules that you create in a UI-based table designer in Decision Central
  • Are a wizard-led alternative to uploaded decision table spreadsheets
  • Provide fields and options for acceptable input
  • Support template keys and values for creating rule templates
  • Support hit policies, real-time validation, and other additional features not supported in other assets
  • Are optimal for creating rules in a controlled tabular format to minimize compilation errors

Designing a decision service using guided decision tables

Uploaded decision tables

  • Are XLS or XLSX decision table spreadsheets that you upload into Decision Central
  • Support template keys and values for creating rule templates
  • Are optimal for creating rules in decision tables already managed outside of Decision Central
  • Have strict syntax requirements for rules to be compiled properly when uploaded

Designing a decision service using uploaded decision tables

Guided rules

  • Are individual rules that you create in a UI-based rule designer in Decision Central
  • Provide fields and options for acceptable input
  • Are optimal for creating single rules in a controlled format to minimize compilation errors

Designing a decision service using guided rules

Guided rule templates

  • Are reusable rule structures that you create in a UI-based template designer in Decision Central
  • Provide fields and options for acceptable input
  • Support template keys and values for creating rule templates (fundamental to the purpose of this asset)
  • Are optimal for creating many rules with the same rule structure but with different defined field values

Designing a decision service using guided rule templates

DRL rules

  • Are individual rules that you define directly in .drl text files
  • Provide the most flexibility for defining rules and other technicalities of rule behavior
  • Can be created in certain standalone environments and integrated with Red Hat Decision Manager
  • Are optimal for creating rules that require advanced DRL options
  • Have strict syntax requirements for rules to be compiled properly

Designing a decision service using DRL rules