CLIPS, the C Language Integrated Production System, is a time capsule from AI’s golden age. Developed by NASA in the 1980s to build expert systems - programs that emulate human decision-making using rules and facts - CLIPS lets you declare what holds and then computes how to apply it. It’s like assembling a logical puzzle whose pieces fall into place automatically.

The language combines multiple paradigms: procedural programming, object-orientation (via COOL - the CLIPS Object-Oriented Language) and logic programming. Its syntax resembles Lisp, but CLIPS is implemented in C and can be embedded into other C programs. It’s portable, fast and public domain, making it popular in both research and industrial applications.

Want to build a system that diagnoses engine faults, powers decision support or simulates expert knowledge? CLIPS is a powerful tool in your arsenal. It may not be the trendiest language, but it has aged well and remains a favorite for those who think in rules and logic.