# `rules.json` Attributes This page describes the JSON attributes for defining rule objects used in `template-to-app-rules.json` and `app-to-template-rules.json`. For background on how rules fit into the App Template Framework, see [Work with App Template Framework Rules](/docs/analytics/app-template-framework/guide/atf-rules-overview.md). Rules files are made up of three sections: rules, constants, and macros. ## Rules | Attribute | Path | Required | Description | | ------------- | ----------------- | -------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | `rules` | *(top-level)* | No | An array of rules to define. Can be empty if no rules are needed. | | `description` | `rules` | No | A description for the rule. | | `name` | `rules` | Yes | A unique name for a rule. | | `condition` | `rules` | No | If the condition is met, the rule runs. If the condition is not met, the rule does not run. | | `appliesTo` | `rules` | Yes | An array of assets the rule applies to, such as dashboards, recipes, schemas, and XMDs. | | `name` | `rules.appliesTo` | No | The name of the asset. Can be `*` to apply the rule to all dashboards. Must match the `name` defined in the template-info for the asset. Best practice is to specify `name`. If null, defaults to `*` and the rule applies to all template assets. | | `type` | `rules.appliesTo` | No | The type of asset: `dashboard`, `workflow`, `lens`, `schema`, or `xmd`. Best practice is to specify `type`. If null, defaults to `*` and the rule applies to all asset types. | | `actions` | `rules` | Yes | An array of actions the rule invokes. One or more action are required. | | `action` | `rules.actions` | Yes | The type of action to perform: `set`, `add`, `delete`, `put`, `eval`, or `replace`. | | `description` | `rules.actions` | No | A description of the rule action, used for maintainability. | | `path` | `rules.actions` | Yes | The JSONPath to apply the action to. | | `value` | `rules.actions` | No | The value to place at the JSONPath. Required for `set`, `add`, and `put` actions. | | `index` | `rules.actions` | No | The index position for the action. Required for the `add` action only. | | `key` | `rules.actions` | No | The key for the action. Required for the `put` action only. | | `condition` | `rules.actions` | No | If the condition is met, the action runs. If the condition is not met, the action is skipped. Use this field to apply a condition to a single action instead of the whole rule. | ## Constants | Attribute | Path | Required | Description | | ----------- | ------------- | -------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | `constants` | *(top-level)* | No | An array of constants to define. Can be empty if no constants are needed. | | `name` | `constants` | Yes | A unique name for a constant, used to reference the constant in other places. | | `value` | `constants` | Yes | The value of the constant. | ## Macros | Attribute | Path | Required | Description | | ------------- | -------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | `macros` | *(top-level)* | No | An array of macro namespace objects. Can be empty if no macros are needed. | | `namespace` | `macros` | Yes | A unique namespace that groups related macro definitions. Used with a macro's `name` to call it, for example `${widget_util:findWidget(...)}`. | | `definitions` | `macros` | Yes | An array of macro definitions within the namespace. | | `name` | `macros.definitions` | Yes | The name of the macro. | | `description` | `macros.definitions` | No | A string that describes what the macro does. | | `parameters` | `macros.definitions` | Yes | An array of zero or more parameter names that the macro expects. Reference a parameter's value with `${p.}`. | | `actions` | `macros.definitions` | An array of zero or more rule actions to perform as part of the macro, using the same action schema as `rules.actions` — see the Actions rows above. Omit if the macro only returns a computed value. | | | `returns` | `macros.definitions` | No | An expression or literal value to be returned from the macro. Omit if the macro only performs actions and doesn't return a value. | **See Also** - [Work with App Template Framework Rules](/docs/analytics/app-template-framework/guide/atf-rules-overview.md) - [Macros in Rules](/docs/analytics/app-template-framework/guide/atf-rules-macros.md) - [`rules.json` Syntax](/docs/analytics/app-template-framework/guide/atf-rules-json-syntax.md)