Ask HN: Anyone have experience with Rules Engines like Drools or FICO Blaze?

[goodlab]

I am doing some work where we decided to use a rules engine. We are on a java/hibernate/struts stack. Are leaning towards Drools as it has some integration points with AppFuse that we are using. Plus FICO Blaze is way more expensive

[brianm]

Drools/JBossRules is actually pretty sweet (disclaimer, I worked on it once upon a time and JBoss gave me some kick ass headphones when they bought it from Bob and Mark). They have been taking it more in the direction of a traditional business rules management mabob, and I don't love their little language personally, but it is WAY nicer for programmers than Blaze, plus the devs are always in IRC and helpful, cannot beat that for support.

[goodlab]

Thanks - So your tipping me over to the drools side. One more question: When you used Drools did you use Governor as well. Any thoughts?

[brianm]

Guvnor didn't exist when I used drools :-)

[dminor]

I've used Drools - works well once you figure out the ins and outs of their DSL, and is actively developed. Haven't used FICO Blaze.

[goodlab]

Thanks! Yeah we had a small learning curve with the DSL as well. We are housing he rules in a csv file for now. When you used Drools did you use Governor as well. We will eventually need to have an interface for the business folks. Any thoughts?

[dminor]

Haven't used governor - the rules engine is embedded in an ecommerce platform for doing coupons/promotions with its own custom interface for defining the coupons/promos. Then those get translated into drools rules.

[eduardo_f]

I've had good experiences with Drools too. Never used FICO Blaze.