How to install Apache Kafka on Mac with Homebrew

1. Install Homebrew

2. Run brew install kafka

3. Start Zookeeper using the CLI

4. Start Kafka using the CLI in another terminal

If you have already installed Homebrew for Mac OS, you can use it to install Kafka in one step. This will ensure that you have Java installed first, and it will then install Apache Kafka.

If you have not yet installed Homebrew, do that first by following the directions on the installation page.

Then you can install Kafka itself. The Homebrew package manager will ensure that you have all the dependencies installed first, including the necessary Java version:

Homebrew's default installation path will differ based on the chip: Macs using Intel will install Kafka under /usr/local/Cellar. Macs with Apple silicon will install Kafka under opt/homebrew/Cellar. In both cases, the files will be linked into other directories:

• Binaries and scripts will be in /usr/local/bin or opt/homebrew/bin

• Kafka configurations will be in /usr/local/etc/kafka or opt/homebrew/etc/kafka

• Zookeeper configuration will be in /usr/local/etc/zookeeper or opt/homebrew/etc/zookeeper

• The log.dirs config (the location for Kafka data) will be set to /usr/local/var/lib/kafka-logs or opt/homebrew/var/lib/kafka-logs

Start Zookeeper

Apache Kafka depends on Zookeeper for cluster management. Hence, prior to starting Kafka, Zookeeper has to be started. There is no need to explicitly install Zookeeper, as it comes included with Apache Kafka.

After installation is complete, you can start Zookeeper using the following command

Start Apache Kafka

Open another Terminal window and run the following command from the root of Apache Kafka to start Apache Kafka.

Ensure to keep both terminal windows opened, otherwise you will shut down Kafka or Zookeeper.

Kafka is now started, congratulations!

Optional: Changing the Kafka and Zookeeper data storage directory when using Homebrew

For Zookeeper:

• edit the zoo.cfg file at /usr/local/etc/zookeeper/zoo.cfg and set the following to your heart's desire dataDir=/your/path/to/data/zookeeper

• start Zookeeper using the update zoo.cfg file as shown above

• you can also make a copy of the zoo.cfg file anywhere in your computer and edit that file instead, and reference it in the Zookeeper start command shown above

For Kafka:

• edit the server.properties file at /usr/local/etc/kafka/server.properties and set the following to your heart's desire log.dirs=/your/path/to/data/kafka

• start Zookeeper using the update server.properties file as shown above

• you can also make a copy of the server.properties file anywhere in your computer and edit that file instead, and reference it in the Zookeeper start command shown above.