Installing ZAP on macOS

macOS users benefit from multiple installation methods, with the standard DMG installer providing the typical Mac application experience. Download the macOS installer from the official website and mount the DMG file by double-clicking. The installation process involves dragging the ZAP application to your Applications folder, following standard macOS conventions. First launch may require approval through Gatekeeper, Apple's security feature that verifies downloaded applications.

Homebrew users can install ZAP with a single command, simplifying installation and updates. This method integrates well with development workflows already using Homebrew for package management. The Homebrew formula handles Java dependencies automatically, ensuring compatibility with your system. Updates through Homebrew are equally simple, keeping your ZAP installation current with minimal effort.

# Installing via Homebrew
brew install --cask owasp-zap

# Updating ZAP via Homebrew
brew upgrade --cask owasp-zap

# Running ZAP from command line
/Applications/OWASP\ ZAP.app/Contents/MacOS/OWASP\ ZAP.sh

# Creating command line alias for convenience
echo "alias zap='/Applications/OWASP\ ZAP.app/Contents/MacOS/OWASP\ ZAP.sh'" >> ~/.zshrc
source ~/.zshrc

macOS-specific considerations include managing security permissions that may restrict ZAP's functionality. System Integrity Protection (SIP) and privacy controls introduced in recent macOS versions can prevent ZAP from intercepting certain traffic. Navigate to System Preferences > Security & Privacy > Privacy tab to grant necessary permissions. Certificate installation for HTTPS inspection requires adding ZAP's root certificate to the system keychain and marking it as trusted for SSL connections.