rplKlike

rplKlike is an open-source software project that provides a domain-specific language and runtime for rule-based text transformation. It is designed to simplify complex string processing tasks such as replacements, extractions, and format conversions within data pipelines. The project emphasizes performance, composability, and ease of embedding into existing applications.

Origin and development: rplKlike was started in 2018 by a collective of developers seeking a lightweight alternative to traditional scripting tools. It has since grown through community contributions and is maintained with a permissive license on its public repositories. The project encourages ecosystem participation, including rule libraries and language bindings.

Features and architecture: The system consists of a parser for the rplKlike DSL, a compilation or interpretation layer, and multiple execution backends. It supports a rule-based syntax with patterns, conditions, and actions, enabling granular control over replacements and formatting. The runtime can process data in streaming fashion, supports multi-threading, and provides bindings for languages such as C, Python, and Java to facilitate integration. The platform includes debugging and testing aids, including a dry-run mode that shows intended transformations without modifying input data.

Use cases: rplKlike is used for log sanitization, data cleaning, template-driven rendering, and code transformation tasks in build pipelines. Typical workflows involve writing a set of rules, running the CLI or embedding the library, and piping data through the engine. The DSL aims to be readable while supporting complex transformation chains.

Reception and status: The project has a growing user base in industry and academia and continues to receive updates from volunteers and sponsors. Documentation covers syntax reference, tutorials, and API references to support adoption.