How to set up Apache JMeter on macOS

The Apache JMeter application, which is open source and composed entirely of Java, is used to load tests and track performance. Although it was primarily developed to test web applications, it has since expanded to cover more test functions. Dynamic web applications and static resources can have their performance evaluated by Apache JMeter. JMeter can simulate a substantial load on a server, a group of servers, a network, or other objects to test an object’s longevity or evaluate its overall performance under various load types. Apache JMeter can be installed using several methods, but we describe two valuable methods below that are frequently recommended by programmers:

1. Setting up Apache JMeter on macOS using Homebrew

Homebrew is a famous macOS package manager that enables users to install and manage various software packages and libraries conveniently. Homebrew allows users to update, install, and remove software and tools like programming languages, databases, text editors, and so on without installing the standard macOS.

Because Homebrew is open source and community driven, users can help define its development and maintain diverse packages. It also includes a straightforward command-line interface for managing software installations and updates. Developers and power users who desire more control over their system’s software environment sometimes prefer Homebrew.

Step 1: Install Homebrew

To begin, if you haven’t already installed Homebrew on your macOS, open the terminal and type in this command in the shell environment:

/bin/bash -c "$(curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Homebrew/install/HEAD/install.sh)"

This will install Homebrew on your macOS.

Step 2: Install JMeter

Once you have installed Homebrew on your macOS, you can use it to install JMeter by running the following command in the terminal:

brew install jmeter

This will download and install the latest version of JMeter on your macOS.

Step 3: Verify JMeter installation

When the installation is complete, you can execute the following command in the terminal to ensure that JMeter is successfully installed:

jmeter --version

This command will display the JMeter version installed on your macOS. This way, you can successfully install JMeter on your macOS using Homebrew.

2. Setting up Apache JMeter on macOS using downloaded files of the latest release

Learning to Install JMeter on macOS using downloaded files is quite simple. Let’s go through the process in detail below.

Step 1: Check if Java is installed on the system

Go to your macOS terminal by pressing the “command” and “space bar” keys. When you get to the Spotlight search bar, write “terminal” and open it.

Open the terminal and use the following command to get the Java version:

java -version

If you do not get the Java version, it means that Java is either not installed or not set up correctly on your system. In such a case, you can install Java first.

Step 2: Download JMeter

You can download Apache JMeter by visiting their official website. Currently, Java 8 or Java 9 is necessary for Apache JMeter version 5.5, which is the most recent version. If you have Java 8 or 9, you can use JMeter 5.0 without any problems. But if you have a previous version of Java, it has to be upgraded first. If you wish to continue using an older version of Java along with JMeter, you can choose a compatible version from the “Archives” section.

Note: Try to download JMeter from the “Binaries” section from the given link above.

There are no long installation processes. You just have to unzip the downloaded file to a folder and you’re ready for the next step.

Step 3: Start JMeter

To start JMeter, you have to go to the location of the bin folder in the JMeter folder, and inside this bin folder, you will find all the JMeter files.

cd users/abs/desktop/apache-jmeter-5.0/bin/

You can use the jmeter.sh or jmeter.jar file to start JMeter.

sh jmeter.sh

Launching modes of JMeter

JMeter can be started in different modes:

• GUI mode: This is JMeter’s default mode, which provides a graphical user interface for creating and running test plans.

• CLI mode: JMeter can additionally be opened in command-line mode, allowing you to execute it without a graphical user interface. Open a terminal or command prompt and navigate to the JMeter bin directory to launch JMeter in CLI mode.