MacOS Setup Guide

Step 1: Install Homebrew

If you don't have Homebrew installed, you'll need to install it first:

  • Open Terminal (Applications > Utilities > Terminal).
  • Run the following command:
/bin/bash -c "$(curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Homebrew/install/HEAD/install.sh)"
  • Follow the prompts to complete the installation.
  • Verify the installation:
brew --version

Step 2: Install OpenJDK

  • Open your Terminal and run:
brew install openjdk

Step 3: Installing Xcode

If the available version in the App Store isn't available for your device, please update macOS to the latest version

Xcode is necessary for iOS development and running the iOS simulator:

  • Install Xcode
  • Open the App Store on your Mac.
  • Search for "Xcode" and click "Get" or the download icon.
  • Wait for the download and installation to complete (this may take some time as Xcode is a large application).
  • Once Xcode is installed, open it to accept the license agreement.

After Xcode is installed, install the Xcode Command Line Tools and the iOS simulator:

Command Line Tools:

  • Open Terminal (or iTerm etc.)
  • Run xcode-select --install
  • Accept the prompt to install

iOS Simulator:

  • Run xcodebuild -downloadPlatform iOS
  • Run the simulator with open -a Simulator

Step 4: Installing Flutter and Dart

Prerequisites

CocoaPods

  • Install CocoaPods by running sudo gem install cocoapods in your terminal

Rosetta

  • Some Flutter components require the Rosetta 2 translation process on Macs running Apple silicon. To run all Flutter components on Apple silicon, install Rosetta 2.

Run in your terminal:

sudo softwareupdate --install-rosetta --agree-to-license

Installation

The recommended IDE for Flutter is VS Code with the Flutter extension

  • Open Terminal and run:
brew install --cask flutter
  • Wait for installation. Then verify your installation:
flutter doctor

Step 5. Install .NET

Open your Terminal and run:

brew install dotnet

Step 6. Install MariaDB

Open your Terminal and run:

brew install mariadb

Then start MariaDB as a service:

brew services start mariadb

Running GIRAF

Refer to this guide

Troubleshooting

If you encounter any issues:

  • Ensure your macOS is up to date
  • Try running brew doctor to check for any Homebrew-related issues
  • Ensure Xcode and Command Line Tools are up to date: softwareupdate --all --install --force
  • Run flutter doctor for diagnostics and follow its recommendations
Last update: October 27, 2025