Kuali Rice (also simply known as Rice) is an open source, module-based, enterprise class, set of integrated middleware products that allow both Kuali and non-Kuali applications to be built in an agile fashion so developers can create custom end-user business applications quickly and efficiently. Services are exposed through the Kuali Service Bus (KSB) and can be consumed by other Rice applications.

Rice employs the Service Oriented Architecture (SOA) concept and is structured with both a server-side piece and a client-side piece. This framework allows end developers to build robust systems with common enterprise workflow functionality and with customizable and configurable user interfaces that have a clean and universal look and feel.

On the server side, Kuali Rice is implemented as a group of services within a Servlet container. It can also run as a module within a web server such as Apache. Kuali Rice implements the Java Servlet specification from Sun Microsystems. This allows developers to design software that adds dynamic content to web servers using the Java programming language. Servlets are a server side technology that responds to web clients (typically web browsers) through a request/response paradigm.

On the client side, Kuali Rice has a flexible framework of pieces that can be included in a Rice client application.

The Rice Standalone Server is built on the client-server model and is provided as a web archive file (WAR). The Standalone version allows client applications to be configured to interface with the Rice server.

The designers of Kuali Rice built it with a modular architecture where each module performs a specific function that offers services to applications. The Rice architecture has five major modules:

Rice provides a reusable development framework that encourages a simplified approach to developing true business functionality in modular applications.

Application and service developers can focus on solutions to solve business issues rather than on the technology. The Rice framework takes care of complex technical issues so that each application or service that adopts the framework can interoperate with little or no complexity. The framework also simplifies interoperation with services exposed by other applications.

In addition, Rice supports the sophisticated workflow processes typically required in higher education. It addresses workflow processes that involve human interaction (i.e., approval) as part of the flow.