Jenkins is one of the most popular open-source automation servers, and setting it up on macOS is a standard first step for many DevOps engineers. Depending on your preference—whether you want a quick command-line setup, a traditional installer, or a containerized environment—there are several ways to get it running.
: To start Jenkins and ensure it runs in the background, use: brew services start jenkins-lts .
: Run the command for the Long-Term Support (LTS) version: brew install jenkins-lts .
: If you don't have it yet, open your Terminal and paste: /bin/bash -c "$(curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Homebrew/install/HEAD/install.sh)" .
: If macOS blocks the installer as an "unidentified developer," go to System Settings > Privacy & Security to allow the installation. Method 3: Running Jenkins via Docker
Using Homebrew is the recommended method for most Mac users because it manages dependencies (like Java) and makes updates effortless.
: Open your browser and go to http://localhost:8080. Method 2: Manual Download (.pkg Installer)