Understanding conf file precedence

$SPLUNK_HOME/etc is the parent directory where all conf files exist in a typical Splunk Enterprise installation. A configuration file can be created in more than one place under this parent directory. You might be wondering why there is a need to have the same type of file in multiple places.

The ability to configure settings at various levels within Splunk provides flexibility to administrators, developers, and users to customize the platform according to their specific needs. This flexibility allows for precise control over individual apps and user experiences. The precedence of files that have the same stanza names in multiple directories is determined by Splunk. Precedence is covered later in this section.

By default, Splunk Enterprise ships all the system-wide configurations under the $SPLUNK_HOME/etc/system/default directory, which is not supposed to be altered. So, it is suggested that if a change to a conf file under the /default directory...