What is the recommended way to get nmap on OSX?

Question

Can I just use apt-get, or should I use some Mac tool?

Answer 1

First Option

Nmap's Official Website

• Download the latest official installer here:
  https://nmap.org/download.html#macosx

• Check this out for additional information:
  https://nmap.org/book/inst-macosx.html

• Alternative versions can be found here:
  https://nmap.org/dist/

---

Second Option

Homebrew Package Manager

• Install Homebrew

  $ ruby -e "$(curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Homebrew/install/master/install)"
  

• Install Nmap

  $ brew install nmap
  

• Optional

  $ brew search nmap
  $ brew info nmap
  

---

Third Option

MacPorts Package Manager

• Install MacPorts

  $ bash -c "$(curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/tjt263/macports-installer/master/macports-installer.sh)"
  

• Install Nmap

  $ sudo port install nmap
  

• Optional

  $ sudo port search nmap
  $ sudo port info nmap
  

Answer 2

The package manager for MacOS that apple mention https://developer.apple.com/opensource/ is MacPorts. And the nmap website mentions MacPorts.

A package manager that people often use with MacOS, is Homebrew. To install nmap, using Homebrew- http://brewformulas.org/Nmap brew install nmap. Though another answer mentions that brew has an issue installing nmap as of 2020, and the nmap website mentions Macports and doesn't mention brew.

Additional notes
Your question is largely answered at this unix.stackexchange link. https://unix.stackexchange.com/questions/80711/how-to-install-apt-get-or-yum-on-mac-os-x So, apt-get is not really recommended as a package manager for MacOS, it's for Debian(so, e.g. Ubuntu is debian based hence Ubuntu uses apt-get). Homebrew is one for Mac OS.. and another one called macports. ..Apparently you can get apt-get on macOS but getting it to work is, they say here, a bit advanced.

I suggest you learn your package manager, e.g. in the case of MacOS, macports or homebrew, learn how to get a list of packages, or search for a package e.g. search for nmap, see the command to search or list packages and to install a package. (besides googling can show what package managers apply for your OS and then what command to install the package.. sometimes the programs website can mention it)

added

this link https://ports.macports.org/port/nmap/ mentions clearly how to install nmap with the MacPorts package manager sudo port install nmap

Installing nmap with MacPorts, or with the Fink package manager, are mentioned on the nmap site https://nmap.org/book/inst-macosx.html

Answer 3

As of May 20, 2020, the homebrew installer fails to install something called nmap-scripts. This means nmap will work for some scans, but as you start to go deeper, you may see error messages like this:

nmap -p 1-65535 -T4 -A -v example.com
Starting Nmap 7.70 ( https://nmap.org ) at 2020-05-20 13:25 JST
Unable to find nmap-services!  Resorting to /etc/services
NSE: failed to initialize the script engine:
could not locate nse_main.lua
stack traceback:
    [C]: in ?

QUITTING!

This Link explains what is missing. Unfortunately that package is not available through homebrew at the moment.

The most foolproof way at the moment is to either use a different package manager (both fink and macports are endorsed by nmap.org), build it from source, or download the installer from nmap.org. All methods are explained here.