Drools vs RuleXpress
Drools
kie.apache.orgRuleXpress
rulearts.comSide by side
| Figure | Drools | RuleXpress |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | Free | — |
| Free plan | Yes | — |
| Free trial | — | — |
| Open source | — | — |
| Web | — | Yes |
| Linux | Yes | — |
| API | Yes | — |
| Self-hosted | Yes | — |
| Plans published | 1 | 0 |
| Spec score · Business Rules Management Software | 8.0 (#6) | 6.9 (#15) |
| Founded | 2001 | 2004 |
| Integrations | Drools rules can be called directly by a BPMN business rule task in jBPM within the same service. | RuleArts says RuleXpress can import definitions from other tools and generate XML for integration, and that it already integrates with several requirements and process design tools without naming them on this page. |
| Purpose | Drools is a forward-chaining and backward-chaining inference-based rule engine used to build expert systems. | RuleXpress is a repository based tool for managing business vocabulary, rules, fact models, decision tables and rule groups. |
| Support | The project lists a users mailing list and Zulip chat as community contact channels. | RuleArts lists email, a contact form and US and EU phone numbers as support contact methods. |
Plans
In their own words
Drools
Drools is a free, open-source rule engine for building expert systems with forward- and backward-chaining inference. Its DMN engine supports Conformance level 3, covering the features in that standard, and can statically analyze decision tables for gaps and overlaps. For event processing, it reasons over streams using temporal operators, sliding windows, and event expiration. Developers can define rules in DRL text files alongside Java code, or use Excel decision tables, rule templates, or a Java executable model API. Rule units organize rules with typed containers for input data, and Kogito can generate REST endpoints from them. Drools rules can also be called by a BPMN business rule task in jBPM within the same service. Apache KIE states that the DMN engine passes 99.9% of DMN TCK tests as of version 10.2.0. The project is available for API, Linux, and self-hosted use at free. Getting started requires an IDE, JDK 21 or 17, and Maven 3.9 or later. Apache KIE is undergoing incubation and has not yet been fully endorsed by the ASF.
RuleXpress
RuleXpress is a web-based, repository tool for managing business vocabulary, rules, fact models, decision tables and rule groups. RuleArts positions it for business users and technical teams writing precise, versioned natural-language rules. Visual authoring, natural-language rules, decision tables and rule-testing tools are listed. The standard repository provides RuleSpeak support, quality checks, quality grades, collaborative rule writing and shared vocabulary. Rules can link to requirements, instructions, documentation, IT components, source documents and legislation. Terms support synonyms and preferred terms, with automatic hyperlinks in definitions. Users can extend metadata with typed, nested and multi-value properties, and generate XML or styled reports. RuleXpress works offline or in a multi-user environment and supports on-premises deployment. It can manage requirements with audit trails, import definitions, generate XML for integration, and connect with FactXpress conceptual modeling. RuleArts offers a free web demo, but no product price or paid-plan amount is listed.