[Bro] proper install directory - /opt/bro or /usr/local/bro?

[Jon Siwek]

On Mon, Nov 5, 2018 at 4:20 AM Ambros Novak <ambros.novak.89 at gmail.com> wrote:

> The default install directory for Bro is /usr/local/bro but I know there is a lot of documentation using /opt/bro. Which is the proper directory to install bro/zeek into?
>
> And if the proper install directory is /opt/bro, then why is the default /usr/local/bro?

Default when building/installing from source code: /usr/local/bro
Default when installing from pre-built binary package (from bro.org): /opt/bro

The difference is conventional and possibly also suggested by the
Filesystem Hierarchy Standard (FHS).  That is, /usr/local is usually
for software a sysadmin explicitly builds/installs/manages themselves,
while /opt is for pre-packaged software that is installed from a
source that's external to the operating system's default package
repositories.

Ultimately, there's no single install path to call proper, just
different defaults that try to conform to expected conventions and
standards.  Bro still functions the same for any arbitrary install
path, so feel free to change to your preference.

- Jon