Jess in Action Java Rule-based Systems Ernest Friedman-Hill July 2003, Softbound, 480 pages ISBN Our price: $49.95 You can order this book from your bookstore by using the ISBN and title listed above.

Imagine a different way to program in which you specify rules and facts instead of the usual linear set of instructions. That’s the idea behind rule-based programming. A rule engine automatically decides how to apply the rules to your facts and hands you the result. This approach is ideal for expressing business rules and is increasingly used in enterprise computing.

Jess is a popular rule engine written in Java. It’s supported by Sandia Labs and has an active online community. If you have a problem that can be solved with rules, Jess in Action will show you how. (If you are not sure, read chapter 2.) Written by the creator of Jess, this book is an accessible and practical guide to rule-based system development in Java.

Jess in Action first introduces rule programming concepts and teaches you the Jess language. Armed with this knowledge, you then progress through a series of fully-developed applications chosen to expose you to practical rule-based development. The book shows you how you can add power and intelligence to your Java software.

What’s Inside

• Introduction to rule-based thinking
• Jess language tutorial
• Complete examples of ...
  • Tax forms advisor
  • Diagnostic assistant
  • Fuzzy logic controller
  • Web agent
  • J2EE apps

Includes binary version of Jess ( for non-commercial use)

Dr. Friedman-Hill is a Principal Member of the Technical Staff at Sandia National Laboratories in Livermore, California. He is the developer of Jess, the Java rule engine. He has taught Java programming to over 3,000 students for the University of California Extensions in Berkeley, in San Diego, and online. Dr. Friedman-Hill's current work at Sandia includes the development of software for mechanical design and analysis. He lives in Gaithersburg, MD.

Ernest Friedman-Hill Interview

Read Jason Morris's interview with the author of Jess in Action.