How to install Jekyll on macOS

Jekyll turns Markdown and Liquid templates into a static website. On macOS, getting it running means installing Apple’s command-line tools, a current Ruby version, and the Jekyll gem.

Open Terminal and install the command-line tools:

xcode-select --install

If macOS asks you to accept the Xcode licence, run:

sudo xcodebuild -license

Install Ruby and Jekyll

Install Homebrew:

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

Then use Homebrew to install Ruby:

brew install ruby

Install Jekyll:

sudo gem install jekyll

Check that the command is available:

jekyll -v

If that prints a Jekyll version, the installation worked.

Create a site and run it locally

Create a new site in a directory named site:

jekyll new site

Move into the new directory:

cd site

Jekyll themes may depend on additional Ruby gems listed in a Gemfile. Install Bundler if you do not already have it:

gem install bundler

Then build the site and start the local server:

bundle exec jekyll serve

Open http://localhost:4000 in your browser. Keep the Terminal window open while you work; Jekyll will rebuild the site when files change.

Ruby setup on macOS has changed over time, so commands from older tutorials may not match a current machine exactly. The useful check is still the same: jekyll -v should work, and bundle exec jekyll serve should start the site.

← Back to all articles