# Add rule (addrule)

Create a new style guide rule.

### Request

Use the shared HTTP API endpoint and request formats.

See [HTTP API Overview](/v6.12.0/api-reference/overview.md).

#### Parameters

| Parameter         | Type      | Required | Default       | Notes                                                            |
| ----------------- | --------- | -------- | ------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------- |
| `cmd`             | string    | Yes      | `style_guide` | Command name.                                                    |
| `action`          | string    | Yes      | `addrule`     | Action name.                                                     |
| `lang`            | string    | No       | `common`      | Language scope to create the rule in (example: `en_US` or `en`). |
| `patterns`        | string\[] | Yes      |               | Patterns to match.                                               |
| `suggestions`     | string\[] | No       | \[]           | Replacement suggestions.                                         |
| `state`           | boolean   | No       | `true`        | Enables/disables the rule.                                       |
| `context_include` | string\[] | No       | \[]           | Matches only when one of these contexts exists.                  |
| `context_exclude` | string\[] | No       | \[]           | Skips matches when one of these contexts exists.                 |
| `description`     | string    | No       |               | Message shown to the user.                                       |
| `collection`      | string    | No       | `style guide` | A name of the collection in which rules are stored.              |

{% hint style="info" %}
You can’t choose a rule ID.

The rule ID is generated as a hash of `patterns` + `context_include`. If `patterns` or `context_include` changes later, the rule will get a new ID.
{% endhint %}

### Behavior

* Creates a new rule in the target style guide file.
* Returns the created rule in `result`.

### Response

Single rule object containing its rule ID is returned.

See [Response schema](/v6.12.0/api-reference/style-guide-api/response-schema.md).

### Errors

See

* [Errors](/v6.12.0/api-reference/style-guide-api/errors.md#addrule-errors).
* [Validation & limits](/v6.12.0/api-reference/style-guide-api/validation-and-limits.md)

### Examples

{% tabs %}
{% tab title="Example (JSON body)" %}

<details>

<summary>Request URL (on-premises)</summary>

{% code overflow="wrap" %}

```
http(s)://server_entry_point/?cmd=style_guide&access_key=<your-access-key>&collection=style guide&lang=en_US&action=addrule&patterns=["webspellchecker"]&suggestions=["WebSpellChecker"]
```

{% endcode %}

</details>

<details>

<summary>Request URL (Cloud)</summary>

{% code overflow="wrap" %}

```
https://svc.webspellchecker.net/api?cmd=style_guide&access_key=<your-access-key>&serviceid=<your-service-id>&collection=style guide&lang=en_US&action=addrule&patterns=["webspellchecker"]&suggestions=["WebSpellChecker"]
```

{% endcode %}

</details>

<details>

<summary>Request CURL (on-premises)</summary>

{% code overflow="wrap" %}

```bash
curl -G "http(s)://server_entry_point" \
  --data-urlencode 'cmd=style_guide' \
  --data-urlencode 'access_key=<your-access-key>' \
  --data-urlencode 'collection=style guide' \
  --data-urlencode 'lang=en_US' \
  --data-urlencode 'action=addrule' \
  --data-urlencode 'patterns=["webspellchecker"]' \
  --data-urlencode 'suggestions=["WebSpellChecker"]'
```

{% endcode %}

</details>

<details>

<summary>Request CURL (Cloud)</summary>

{% code overflow="wrap" %}

```bash
curl -G "https://svc.webspellchecker.net/api" \
  --data-urlencode 'cmd=style_guide' \
  --data-urlencode 'access_key=<your-access-key>' \
  --data-urlencode 'serviceid=<your-service-id>' \
  --data-urlencode 'collection=style guide' \
  --data-urlencode 'lang=en_US' \
  --data-urlencode 'action=addrule' \
  --data-urlencode 'patterns=["webspellchecker"]' \
  --data-urlencode 'suggestions=["WebSpellChecker"]'
```

{% endcode %}

</details>

***

<details>

<summary>Response</summary>

{% code overflow="wrap" %}

```json
{
    "message": "Rule added.",
    "result": [
        {
            "state": true,
            "language": "en_US",
            "id": {
                "category": "STYLE_GUIDE",
                "collection": "style guide",
                "rule": "STYLE_5933619761905272220"
            },
            "patterns": [
                "webspellchecker"
            ],
            "suggestions": [
                "WebSpellChecker"
            ],
            "description": "",
            "context_include": [],
            "context_exclude": []
        }
    ]
}
```

{% endcode %}

</details>
{% endtab %}

{% tab title="Example (XML body)" %}

<details>

<summary>Request URL (on-premises)</summary>

{% code overflow="wrap" %}

```
http(s)://server_entry_point/?cmd=style_guide&access_key=<your-access-key>&collection=style guide&lang=en_US&action=addrule&patterns=["webspellchecker"]&suggestions=["WebSpellChecker"]&format=xml
```

{% endcode %}

</details>

<details>

<summary>Request URL (Cloud)</summary>

{% code overflow="wrap" %}

```
https://svc.webspellchecker.net/api?cmd=style_guide&access_key=<your-access-key>&serviceid=<your-service-id>&collection=style guide&lang=en_US&action=addrule&patterns=["webspellchecker"]&suggestions=["WebSpellChecker"]&format=xml
```

{% endcode %}

</details>

<details>

<summary>Request CURL (on-premises)</summary>

{% code overflow="wrap" %}

```bash
curl -G "http(s)://server_entry_point" \
  --data-urlencode 'cmd=style_guide' \
  --data-urlencode 'access_key=<your-access-key>' \
  --data-urlencode 'collection=style guide' \
  --data-urlencode 'lang=en_US' \
  --data-urlencode 'action=addrule' \
  --data-urlencode 'patterns=["webspellchecker"]' \
  --data-urlencode 'suggestions=["WebSpellChecker"]' \
  --data-urlencode 'format=xml'
```

{% endcode %}

</details>

<details>

<summary>Request CURL (Cloud)</summary>

{% code overflow="wrap" %}

```bash
curl -G "https://svc.webspellchecker.net/api" \
  --data-urlencode 'cmd=style_guide' \
  --data-urlencode 'access_key=<your-access-key>' \
  --data-urlencode 'serviceid=<your-service-id>' \
  --data-urlencode 'collection=style guide' \
  --data-urlencode 'lang=en_US' \
  --data-urlencode 'action=addrule' \
  --data-urlencode 'patterns=["webspellchecker"]' \
  --data-urlencode 'suggestions=["WebSpellChecker"]' \
  --data-urlencode 'format=xml'
```

{% endcode %}

</details>

***

<details>

<summary>Response</summary>

{% code overflow="wrap" %}

```xml
<message>Rule added.</message>

<result>
	<rule>
		<state>true</state>
		<language>en_US</language>
		<id>
			<category>STYLE_GUIDE</category>
			<collection>style guide</collection>
			<rule>STYLE_5933619761905272220</rule>
		</id>
		<patterns>
			<patterns>webspellchecker</patterns>
		</patterns>
		<suggestions>
			<suggestions>WebSpellChecker</suggestions>
		</suggestions>
		<description/>
		<context_include/>
		<context_exclude/>
	</rule>
</result>
```

{% endcode %}

</details>
{% endtab %}
{% endtabs %}


---

# Agent Instructions: Querying This Documentation

If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation dynamically by asking a question.

Perform an HTTP GET request on the current page URL with the `ask` query parameter:

```
GET https://docs.wproofreader.com/v6.12.0/api-reference/style-guide-api/actions/add-rule-addrule.md?ask=<question>
```

The question should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language.
The response will contain a direct answer to the question and relevant excerpts and sources from the documentation.

Use this mechanism when the answer is not explicitly present in the current page, you need clarification or additional context, or you want to retrieve related documentation sections.