---
title: "AxoSyslog on macOS"
url: "https://axoflow.com/docs/axosyslog-core/install/macos/"
description: "Build AxoSyslog from source on macOS with Homebrew dependencies, and see which modules the macOS build leaves out."
last_modified: "2026-10-02T11:54:04+02:00"
---

> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://axoflow.com/docs/axosyslog-core/llms.txt).

# AxoSyslog on macOS

Build AxoSyslog from source on macOS with Homebrew dependencies, and see which modules the macOS build leaves out.

AxoSyslog has no official macOS package or Homebrew formula. For production use, run AxoSyslog on a Linux host or as a container. For details, see [Install AxoSyslog](https://axoflow.com/docs/axosyslog-core/install/index.md) and [Install AxoSyslog with Docker](https://axoflow.com/docs/axosyslog-core/install/docker/index.md).

To develop, test, or collect logs locally on a Mac, build AxoSyslog from source. The upstream CI builds and tests AxoSyslog on macOS 15 and the latest macOS GitHub runner.

> **Note:**
> The [macOS CI workflow](https://github.com/axoflow/axosyslog/blob/main/.github/workflows/macos.yml) is the authoritative source for the exact environment variables and build flags. The steps on this page are an outline, and the flags can change between releases.

## Build from source

1. Install [Homebrew](https://brew.sh/), then clone the source code.

   ```shell
   git clone https://github.com/axoflow/axosyslog.git
   cd axosyslog
   ```
2. Install the build dependencies listed in the [`contrib/Brewfile`](https://github.com/axoflow/axosyslog/blob/main/contrib/Brewfile).

   ```shell
   brew update
   brew bundle --file=contrib/Brewfile
   ```
3. Point the build to the Homebrew libraries and to the Homebrew version of `bison`.

   ```shell
   HOMEBREW_PREFIX="$(brew --prefix)"
   export PKG_CONFIG_PATH="${HOMEBREW_PREFIX}/opt/openssl@3/lib/pkgconfig:${HOMEBREW_PREFIX}/opt/net-snmp/lib/pkgconfig:${HOMEBREW_PREFIX}/lib/pkgconfig:${PKG_CONFIG_PATH}"
   export PATH="${HOMEBREW_PREFIX}/opt/bison/bin:${PATH}"
   export CFLAGS="-I${HOMEBREW_PREFIX}/include"
   export LDFLAGS="-L${HOMEBREW_PREFIX}/lib"
   ```
4. Configure, build, and install AxoSyslog. Replace `<install-dir>` with the directory to install to. You can use either autotools or CMake.

   - With autotools:

     ```shell
     ./autogen.sh
     ./configure --prefix=<install-dir> \
       --with-ivykis=system --with-python=3 --with-systemd-journal=no \
       --disable-smtp --disable-java --disable-java-modules \
       --disable-pacct --disable-stackdump --disable-jit
     make
     make install
     ```
   - With CMake:

     ```shell
     cmake --install-prefix <install-dir> -B build . \
       -DIVYKIS_SOURCE=system -DPYTHON_VERSION=3 -DENABLE_JOURNALD=OFF \
       -DENABLE_AFSMTP=OFF -DENABLE_GRPC=OFF -DENABLE_JAVA=OFF \
       -DENABLE_JAVA_MODULES=OFF -DENABLE_PACCT=OFF -DENABLE_LIBUNWIND=OFF
     cmake --build build --target install
     ```

## Limitations

The macOS builds disable the following modules:

- the `systemd-journal()` source
- the `smtp()` destination
- Java and the Java-based modules
- the `pacct()` source
- stack dumps on crash (`--disable-stackdump`)

The CMake build also disables the gRPC-based modules, for example, `opentelemetry()`, `loki()`, and `bigquery()`. On macOS 14, an incompatibility between Apache Arrow and Apple clang ([apache/arrow#49841](https://github.com/apache/arrow/issues/49841)) breaks the `arrow-flight` module. Disable it with `--disable-arrow-flight` (autotools) or `-DENABLE_ARROW_FLIGHT=OFF` (CMake).

## Collect macOS system logs

macOS has its own logging system. To collect its logs, use the `darwin-oslog()` and `darwin-oslog-stream()` sources. For details, see [Collect native macOS system logs](https://axoflow.com/docs/axosyslog-core/chapter-sources/darwin/index.md).

## Run as a service

The source tree includes a sample `launchd` property list at [`contrib/com.syslog-ng.syslog-ng.plist`](https://github.com/axoflow/axosyslog/blob/main/contrib/com.syslog-ng.syslog-ng.plist). Adjust the paths to match your `<install-dir>` before you use it.

Last modified October 2, 2026: [Add an install macos from source page (cd1a4efb)](https://github.com/axoflow/axosyslog-core-docs/commit/cd1a4efbba46e8d2fa05e3e6bdf81542acb6141b)