A better design for a rules engine implementation

Question

I've implemented a rule engine like this:

public interface IRuleEngine
{
    List<ValidationMessage> Validate(param1, param2, param3);
}


public class DefaultRuleEngine : IRuleEngine
{
    readonly IList<IRule> _rules;

    public DefaultRuleEngine()
    {

        _rules = new List<IRule>()
        {
            new Rule1(),
            new Rule2(),
            new Rule3(),
            ....
        };
    }

    public List<ValidationMessage> Validate(param1, param2, param3)
    {
        var validationMessageList = new List<ValidationMessage>();

        foreach(var rule in _rules)
        {
            validationMessageList.Add(rule.Validate(param1, param2, param3));
        }

        return validationMessageList;
    }
}

    public interface IRule
{
    ValidationMessage Validate(param1, param2, param3);
}

public class Rule1 : IRule
{
    public ValidationMessage Validate(param1, param2, param3)
    {
        //do logic, return validation message

        return validationMessage;         
    }
}

Now, this works fine, but maintence has been tedious. I use the rule engine in many places in my code. I've also had to change the parameters it takes in a few times, which has lead to a lot of tedious modifications in all of the different classes where I use it.

I'm starting to think this design isn't that great, and what I can do to change it. What I've been thinking, is instead of passing in each individual param, I create a ValidationParameters class, and just pass that in. This way, when I need to add another parameter - param4 - I don't have to go to each place in the code to made the modification, and can just change the field in the ValidationParameters class. This I don't see being a problem, as not every rule uses each param, so I don't see running into any issues. Like, Rule1 may only use param2 and param3, not param1, for example.

public class ValidationParameters
{
    public string Param1 {get;set;}
    public string Param2 {get;set;}
    public int Param3 {get;set;}
    public int Param4 {get;set;}
}

and change the interface to

    public interface IRuleEngine
{
    List<ValidationMessage> Validate(ValidationParameters);
}

does this look like a good design, or is there a better pattern to use?

Answer 1

And now I read the post's date....

Your design looks really clunky in my opinion. I think you should use an existing framework, a lot of work goes into doing this correctly. I for one do not want to see another rule engine written, as we say in Romanian "over the knee" (quickly, in an ad-hoc manner, without much attention to detail).

I just whipped this out in 20-30 minutes. By no means is this production grade, but if you really really really refuse to use a framework and want to start somewhere, I believe this abomination can help you. It should provide more flexibility.

class Employee
{
    public string Name { get; set; }
    public string Address { get; set; }
    public int BadgeNumber { get; set; }
    public decimal salary { get; set; }
    public int age { get; set; }
}

class ValidationResult
{
    public bool Valid { get; private set;}
    public string Message { get; private set; }

    private ValidationResult(bool success, string message = null)
    {

    }

    public static ValidationResult Success()
    {
        return new ValidationResult(true);
    }

    public static ValidationResult Fail()
    {
        return new ValidationResult(true);
    }

    public ValidationResult WithMessage(string message)
    {
        return new ValidationResult(this.Valid, message);
    }
}

class ValidationContext
{
    //might want to make this "freezable"/"popsicle" and perhaps
    //you might want to validate cross-entity somehow
    //will you always make a new entity containing 2 or 3 sub entities for this case?
    List<Rule> rules = new List<Rule>();

    public ValidationContext(params Rule[] rules)
    {
        this.rules = rules.ToList();
    }

    //how do you know each rule applies to which entity?
    private List<ValidationResult> GetResults()
    {
        var results = new List<ValidationResult>();
        foreach (var rule in rules)
        {
            results.Add(rule.Validate(this));
        }

        return results;
    }

    public void AddRule(Rule r)
    {
        this.rules.Add(r);
    }

}

abstract class Rule
{        
    public abstract ValidationResult Validate(ValidationContext context);

    public static Rule<TEntityType> Create<TEntityType>(TEntityType entity, Func<TEntityType, ValidationResult> rule)
    {
        Rule<TEntityType> newRule = new Rule<TEntityType>();
        newRule.rule = rule;
        newRule.entity = entity;
        return newRule;
    }
}

class Rule<T> : Rule
{
    internal T entity;
    internal Func<T, ValidationResult> rule;

    public override ValidationResult Validate(ValidationContext context)
    {
        return rule(entity);
    }
}

//usage: only rule creation since I need sleep. I have to hold an interview in 4 hours, I hope you are happy :)
class Program
{
    static void Main(string[] args)
    {
        var employee = new Employee { age = 80 };
        var employeeMustBe80 = Rule.Create(employee,
                                           e => e.age > 80 ?
                                           ValidationResult.Success().WithMessage("he should retire") :
                                           ValidationResult.Fail().WithMessage("this guy gets no pension");
    }
}