Install SPL2-based apps

SPL version 2 (SPL2) is a product-agnostic, intuitive language that has the best of both query and programming languages. SPL2 supports SPL and SQL syntax patterns, as well as programming language constructs for rich Splunk analysis and applications.

For detailed information about SPL2-based apps, see Create SPL2-based apps in the Splunk Developer Guide on dev.splunk.com.

Supported platform versions and operating systems

You can create, install, and run SPL2-based applications on the following platform versions and operating systems:

Platform	Version	Operating systems
Splunk Cloud Platform	9.3.2408 or higher	Linux
Splunk Enterprise	9.4.0 or higher	Linux, MacOS, Windows

Supported architectures

SPL2-based apps are supported on the following architectures:

• Single Server Deployment (SVA S1)
• Distributed Non-Clustered Deployment (D1)
• Distributed Clustered Deployment - Single Site (C1 / C11)
• Distributed Clustered Deployment + SHC - Single Site (C3 / C13)
• Splunk Cloud Deployment Architecture (CLOUD) - Classic and Victoria, Single Search Head and SHC

For more information about these architectures, see Topology selection guidance
and Splunk Cloud Platform Experiences in the Splunk Validated Architectures manual.

New terminology

The following table describes some of the new terms you might encounter in this documentation:

Term	Description
dataset	A dataset is a collection of data that an SPL2 statement can read from or write to. Indexes, lookups, and views are different kinds of datasets.
statements	SPL2 statements are searches and other types of data-related code. Examples are: Search statements Import and export statements Custom function statements Custom data type statements
module	A module is like a file that contains one or more SPL2 statements.
data orchestrator	The Splunk data orchestrator is a new software component that parses and routes SPL2 modules to splunkd.

For more about modules, datasets, and statements, see the following documentation in the SPL2 Search Manual:

• Datasets
• Modules and SPL2 statements
• Extend and branch search statements

Prerequisites

• Splunk Enterprise version 9.4.0 or higher.
• Set the port for the data orchestrator.

Set port 9800 as the data orchestrator port

The Splunk platform uses port 9800 to connect to the Splunk data orchestrator. The data orchestrator is a new software component that parses and routes SPL2 modules to splunkd. The data orchestrator creates a log file in the SPLUNK_HOME/var/log/splunk directory.

You need to add a setting to the splunk-launch.conf configuration file to specify the port for the data orchestrator.

Splunk Enterprise

To set the data orchestrator port, follow these steps:

Prerequisites

• Only users with file system access, such as system administrators, can set the port for the data orchestrator.
• Review the steps in How to edit a configuration file in the Splunk Enterprise Admin Manual.

Unlike other .conf files, you will edit the splunk-launch.conf configuration file in its default location.

Steps

1. In the $SPLUNK_HOME/etc directory for the Splunk Enterprise instance, open the splunk-launch.conf file.
2. Add the setting SPLUNK_ORCHESTRATOR_URL=http://localhost:9800 to thsplunk-launch.conf file. This setting launches the data orchestrator when the Splunk instance starts.
3. To enable this configuration change, restart the Splunk platform instance, which you can do from the Terminal window or through Splunk Web.
   1. In Splunk Web, select Settings.
   2. Under System, select Server controls.
   3. Select Restart Splunk.
   4. Select OK to confirm the restart.

If for some reason port 9800 is not available, you can designate another port to connect to the data orchestrator. See Edit the SPL2 configuration in the Splunk Developer Guide.

Get help or provide feedback

Use slack or email to request help or make comments about SPL2-based apps:

• Use the #spl2 channel in the splunk-usergroups Slack workspace.
• Email us at spl2@splunk.com.

SPL2-based app limitations

The following sections describe the current limitations for SPL2-based applications. These sections are updated when a limitation is removed or changed.

Dataset limitations

You can import and search only the following types of datasets:

• Indexes
• Lookups
• Saved searches
• Views

For more about datasets and views, see the following documentation in the SPL2 Search Manual:

• Datasets
• SPL2 views

Knowledge object limitations

The supported knowledge objects (KOs) are identified in the following table:

Knowledge object	Supported
Alerts	Yes
Dashboards	Yes
Data models	No
Event types	No
Fields	Yes
Field extractions	No
Lookups	Yes
Reports	Yes
Saved searches	Yes
Tags	No
Workflow actions	No

Install an SPL2-based app

Splunk administrators can install and use SPL2-based applications on the supported versions of the Splunk platform.

Complete the following steps to install a SPL2-based application. For information about basic app installation, see About installing Splunk add-ons in the Splunk Add-ons manual.

1. Save the SPL2-app on the supported version of the Splunk platform.
2. On the Splunk Web home screen, select the Apps drop-down and then select Manage apps.
3. Select the Install app from file button.
4. Locate the app file and select Upload. You might be prompted to restart the Splunk platform instance.
5. Verify that the app appears in the list of apps and add-ons. You can also find the app on your Splunk platform instance at $SPLUNK_HOME/etc/apps/<app_name>.
6. Read the README file that is included with the app.

The application is installed in the /apps/default/data/spl2 directory. Modules are not installed on indexers. The following image shows an app that consists of 3 modules: setup, _default, and functions.

After installation, all application modules in the /apps/default/data/spl2 directory are automatically uploaded and stored in your instance. If the files in your /apps/local/data/spl2 and /apps/default/data/spl2 directories have the same name, then the local directory takes precedence. The file in the local directory is uploaded instead, but both files are preserved in their respective directories.

If you make changes to these modules in these directories later, the changes will not automatically upload unless you re-install the app. This process occurs only at installation. To learn how to modify an app later, see Manage SPL2-based apps.

See also

• To learn how to modify an SPL2-based app, see Manage SPL2-based apps.
• To learn how to create an SPL2-based app, see Create a SPL2-based app in the Developer Guide for Splunk Cloud Platform and Splunk Enterprise on the Splunk Developer Portal.