The Rete algorithm, developed by Charles L. Forgy, is a pattern matching algorithm used in rule-based systems to efficiently apply rules to facts in a knowledge base. Utilizing a network of nodes, the Rete algorithm builds a structure resembling a trie to match patterns to facts and trigger corresponding rules. While Rete engines offer significant speed increases over naive implementations, memory and server consumption can be issues in large expert systems. The algorithm allows for many-many matching and supports forward chaining and inferencing. Additionally, it provides efficient memory removal and conflict resolution strategies. The use of quantifications, negation, and memory indexing further enhance performance in Rete networks.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rete_algorithm