Editing Rete algorithm (section)

=== Conflict resolution ===
During any one match-resolve-act cycle, the engine will find all possible matches for the facts currently asserted to working memory.   Once all the current matches have been found, and corresponding production instances have been activated on the agenda, the engine determines an order in which the production instances may be "fired".    This is termed ''conflict resolution'', and the list of activated production instances is termed the ''conflict set''.  The order may be based on rule priority (''salience''), rule order, the time at which facts contained in each instance were asserted to the working memory, the complexity of each production, or some other criteria.   Many engines allow rule developers to select between different conflict resolution strategies or to chain a selection of multiple strategies.

Conflict resolution is not defined as part of the Rete algorithm, but is used alongside the algorithm.    Some specialised production systems do not perform conflict resolution.