What does the command 'splunk start --accept-license' do?

The command 'splunk start --accept-license' is used to start the Splunk instance while simultaneously accepting the licensing agreement without prompting the administrator for confirmation. This is particularly useful in automated environments, such as during scripted installations or deployments, where user interaction is not feasible.

By using this command, the administrator can streamline the startup process, avoiding the need for manual acceptance of the license terms each time the Splunk service is initiated. This is especially important for maintaining operational efficiency and ensuring that installations can be replicated without additional steps or delays.

In contexts such as cloud deployments or continuous integration environments, where consistency across multiple instances is critical, this command helps reduce the possibility of errors caused by forgetting to accept the license during initialization.