Rationalize default configuration file paths and update documentation

README.md

@@ -137,7 +137,7 @@ For subprocess orchestration guidance, see [`docs/subprocess-operations.md`](doc
 
 Precedence:
 1. defaults
-2. config file (`--config`, `AUDITA_CONFIG`, or `/etc/audita/config.yml` when present)
+2. config file (`--config`, `AUDITA_CONFIG`, or default search paths when present: `/usr/local/etc/audita/config.yml`, then `/etc/audita/config.yml`)
 3. environment (`AUDITA_*`)
 4. CLI flags
 

docs/architecture/architecture.md

@@ -198,7 +198,7 @@ audita config print-effective [--config <config.yml>]
 Current runtime flow (`internal/cli/run.go`):
 1. Build runtime config from:
    - defaults;
-   - file config source (`--config`, `AUDITA_CONFIG`, or `/etc/audita/config.yml` when present);
+   - file config source (`--config`, `AUDITA_CONFIG`, or default search paths when present: `/usr/local/etc/audita/config.yml`, then `/etc/audita/config.yml`);
    - environment overrides;
    - CLI overrides.
 2. Parse flags and apply CLI overrides.
@@ -304,9 +304,9 @@ File-config source behavior:
   - required to exist, otherwise process fails clearly.
 - `AUDITA_CONFIG` (when `--config` is not provided):
   - required to exist, otherwise process fails clearly.
-- default path `/etc/audita/config.yml` (when neither explicit source is provided):
+- default paths `/usr/local/etc/audita/config.yml`, then `/etc/audita/config.yml` (when neither explicit source is provided):
-  - used only when present;
+  - first existing path in that order is used;
-  - silently ignored when missing.
+  - both missing is silently ignored.
 
 Versioned file-config behavior (`internal/core/config/file_config.go`):
 - supported version: `version: 1`;

docs/architecture/public-contract.md

@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@ Precedence for `audita process`:
 Config source behavior:
 - `--config <path>`: missing path is a clear failure
 - `AUDITA_CONFIG`: missing path is a clear failure
-- default `/etc/audita/config.yml`: missing file is non-fatal
+- defaults `/usr/local/etc/audita/config.yml`, then `/etc/audita/config.yml`: both missing is non-fatal
 
 ## Supported transcript input forms
 

docs/configuration.md

@@ -26,13 +26,14 @@ For `audita process`, config path resolution is:
 
 1. `--config <path>` if provided
 2. `AUDITA_CONFIG` if set and `--config` is not provided
-3. default `/etc/audita/config.yml` if present
+3. default `/usr/local/etc/audita/config.yml` if present
+4. fallback default `/etc/audita/config.yml` if present
 
 Missing-file behavior:
 
 - missing `--config` path: hard failure;
 - missing `AUDITA_CONFIG` path: hard failure;
-- missing `/etc/audita/config.yml`: non-fatal, run continues.
+- missing both default-path files: non-fatal, run continues.
 
 ## Precedence model
 

docs/release-checklist.md

@@ -16,7 +16,9 @@ Use this checklist before cutting a pre-1.0 or 1.0 release candidate.
   - `audita config print-effective --config <path>`
 - Confirm precedence behavior:
   - defaults -> file config -> environment -> CLI.
-- Confirm missing `/etc/audita/config.yml` is non-fatal when `--config`/`AUDITA_CONFIG` are unset.
+- Confirm default config search order:
+  - `/usr/local/etc/audita/config.yml` first, then `/etc/audita/config.yml`.
+- Confirm missing both default-path config files is non-fatal when `--config`/`AUDITA_CONFIG` are unset.
 
 ## Output schema checks
 

internal/cli/run.go

@@ -982,13 +982,15 @@ func findConfigPathOverride(args []string) (path string, set bool, err error) {
 	return "", false, nil
 }
 
+var statConfigPath = os.Stat
+
 func resolveConfigPath(cliConfigPath string, cliConfigPathSet bool, lookup func(string) (string, bool)) (path string, source string, err error) {
 	if cliConfigPathSet {
 		path = strings.TrimSpace(cliConfigPath)
 		if path == "" {
 			return "", "", fmt.Errorf("--config requires a non-empty path")
 		}
-		if _, statErr := os.Stat(path); statErr != nil {
+		if _, statErr := statConfigPath(path); statErr != nil {
 			if os.IsNotExist(statErr) {
 				return "", "", fmt.Errorf("config file not found: %s", path)
 			}
@@ -1002,7 +1004,7 @@ func resolveConfigPath(cliConfigPath string, cliConfigPathSet bool, lookup func(
 		if path == "" {
 			return "", "", fmt.Errorf("AUDITA_CONFIG must not be empty")
 		}
-		if _, statErr := os.Stat(path); statErr != nil {
+		if _, statErr := statConfigPath(path); statErr != nil {
 			if os.IsNotExist(statErr) {
 				return "", "", fmt.Errorf("config file not found: %s", path)
 			}
@@ -1011,12 +1013,13 @@ func resolveConfigPath(cliConfigPath string, cliConfigPathSet bool, lookup func(
 		return path, "env", nil
 	}
 
-	defaultPath := config.DefaultConfigPath
+	for _, defaultPath := range config.DefaultConfigSearchPaths {
-	if _, statErr := os.Stat(defaultPath); statErr == nil {
+		if _, statErr := statConfigPath(defaultPath); statErr == nil {
 			return defaultPath, "default", nil
 		} else if !os.IsNotExist(statErr) {
 			return "", "", fmt.Errorf("cannot access config file %s: %w", defaultPath, statErr)
 		}
+	}
 	return "", "", nil
 }
 

internal/cli/run_test.go

@@ -110,6 +110,55 @@ func TestResolveConfigPathDefaultIgnoredWhenMissing(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
+func TestResolveConfigPathDefaultPrefersUsrLocalOverEtc(t *testing.T) {
+	oldStat := statConfigPath
+	statConfigPath = func(path string) (os.FileInfo, error) {
+		if path == config.DefaultConfigPathUsrLocal || path == config.DefaultConfigPath {
+			return nil, nil
+		}
+		return nil, os.ErrNotExist
+	}
+	t.Cleanup(func() { statConfigPath = oldStat })
+
+	lookup := func(string) (string, bool) { return "", false }
+	path, source, err := resolveConfigPath("", false, lookup)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("unexpected error: %v", err)
+	}
+	if source != "default" {
+		t.Fatalf("expected default source, got %q", source)
+	}
+	if path != config.DefaultConfigPathUsrLocal {
+		t.Fatalf("expected %q, got %q", config.DefaultConfigPathUsrLocal, path)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestResolveConfigPathDefaultFallsBackToEtc(t *testing.T) {
+	oldStat := statConfigPath
+	statConfigPath = func(path string) (os.FileInfo, error) {
+		if path == config.DefaultConfigPathUsrLocal {
+			return nil, os.ErrNotExist
+		}
+		if path == config.DefaultConfigPath {
+			return nil, nil
+		}
+		return nil, os.ErrNotExist
+	}
+	t.Cleanup(func() { statConfigPath = oldStat })
+
+	lookup := func(string) (string, bool) { return "", false }
+	path, source, err := resolveConfigPath("", false, lookup)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("unexpected error: %v", err)
+	}
+	if source != "default" {
+		t.Fatalf("expected default source, got %q", source)
+	}
+	if path != config.DefaultConfigPath {
+		t.Fatalf("expected %q, got %q", config.DefaultConfigPath, path)
+	}
+}
+
 func TestRunConfigValidateSuccess(t *testing.T) {
 	var stdout bytes.Buffer
 	var stderr bytes.Buffer

internal/core/config/env.go

@@ -6,7 +6,15 @@ import (
 	"strconv"
 )
 
-const DefaultConfigPath = "/etc/audita/config.yml"
+const (
+	DefaultConfigPath          = "/etc/audita/config.yml"
+	DefaultConfigPathUsrLocal  = "/usr/local/etc/audita/config.yml"
+)
+
+var DefaultConfigSearchPaths = []string{
+	DefaultConfigPathUsrLocal,
+	DefaultConfigPath,
+}
 
 func LoadFromEnv() (Config, error) {
 	cfg := Default()