Improved systems and methods for developing rule packs can include receiving monitoring rules specified in a markup language, and combining them to produce a rule pack. Combining processes can leverage product development processes such as Integrated Development Environments (IDEs), thereby allowing any number of developers to work on the same rule pack simultaneously. Common settings may be added to rule packs in an automated, platform-specific way, thereby eliminating the need for rule writers to concern themselves with such common settings. Rule packs may be converted from a markup language to a binary file for use by a monitoring service.