OpenL Tablets
| Company type | Open-source software |
|---|---|
| Industry | Business rule management system, Software |
| Founded | 2003 |
| Headquarters | Cross-platform |
| Products | Business rule management system, Business rules engine, OpenL WebStudio, Rules Repository, Eclipse plug-ins |
| Website | https://marketplace.eclipse.org/content/openl-tablets |
OpenL Tablets represents a business rule management system (BRMS) and business rules engine (BRE) that utilizes tables to express rules. Its core engine is based on an enhanced sequential algorithm and accommodates various table formats, including decision table, decision tree, and calculator-style spreadsheet layouts.
History
Originating as an internal initiative in 2003, OpenL Tablets transitioned to an open-source project hosted on SourceForge by 2006. It began as a Java-centric open-source business rule engine and progressively developed into a comprehensive BRMS starting with version 5.
Technology
Tailored for managing business rules, OpenL Tablets employs table structures that closely resemble standard business documentation to facilitate organized rule handling.
Constructed atop the OpenL framework—which enables custom language implementations on the Java Virtual Machine—it supports modular language extensions. Currently, it integrates two languages: one designed for tabular rule representation and another resembling Java for embedded scripting, derived from Java 5.0 enhanced with Business User Extensions.
The system merges declarative programming paradigms for defining logic with imperative programming techniques to control workflows. Its adaptable table formats are crafted to align precisely with domain-specific meanings.
Essential functionalities such as testing, tracing, and performance benchmarking are built into the platform. Moreover, the engine provides advanced type definition capabilities to incorporate domain models directly within rule files.
Developed using Java, OpenL Tablets ensures cross-platform compatibility and can be deployed within a Service-oriented architecture, including integration through web service interfaces.
Patents
The platform features a validation mechanism currently under patent consideration. Furthermore, certain implementations of OpenL Tablets might fall under existing patents related to semantic modeling and frameworks for business rules.
BRMS
OpenL Tablets delivers a suite of tools aimed at enhancing business rule management efficiency. This includes OpenL WebStudio for editing rules, a web-based application that publishes rules as web services, a Rules Repository to organize rule sets, and Eclipse plug-ins to support rule project development.
Related systems
- CLIPS: an expert system tool available in the public domain.
- ILOG rules: a commercial business rule management solution.
- JBoss Drools: another BRMS offering.
- JESS: a Java-based rule engine extending CLIPS capabilities.
- Prolog: a versatile logic programming language.
- DTRules: an open-source Java rule engine focused on decision tables.