Java Decompiler for Mac: A Complete Guide to Download and Use
Java Decompiler for Mac Download
Java is one of the most popular programming languages in the world, used for developing applications for various platforms and devices. However, sometimes you may encounter situations where you need to reverse engineer or analyze the Java bytecode, which is the compiled form of the Java source code. For example, you may want to:
Java Decompiler For Mac Download
Recover lost or corrupted source code from .class files
Explore the source code of third-party libraries or frameworks that you use in your projects
Debug or optimize your own or someone else's code
Learn from other developers' coding styles and techniques
In these cases, you need a tool that can help you decompile the Java bytecode and convert it back into readable and editable Java source code. This tool is called a Java decompiler.
A Java decompiler is a special kind of compiler that performs the reverse process of the Java compiler. It takes the .class files as input and produces the corresponding .java files as output. A good Java decompiler can reconstruct the original source code with high accuracy and fidelity, preserving the structure, logic, and syntax of the code.
If you are a Mac user, you may wonder how to find and use a Java decompiler that works well on your operating system. In this article, we will show you how to choose, download, install, and use a Java decompiler for Mac. We will also answer some frequently asked questions about Java decompilers.
How to choose the best Java decompiler for Mac?
There are many Java decompilers available on the internet, but not all of them are compatible with Mac or offer the same features and quality. Therefore, before you download and install a Java decompiler for Mac, you should consider some factors that can help you make an informed decision.
Features to look for in a Java decompiler
Some of the features that you should look for in a Java decompiler are:
Support for different formats: A good Java decompiler should be able to handle different formats of .class files, such as JAR, ZIP, WAR, EAR, etc. It should also be able to handle nested or inner classes, anonymous classes, lambda expressions, etc.
Support for different versions: A good Java decompiler should be able to support different versions of Java bytecode, from Java 5 to Java 16. It should also be able to handle new language features, such as generics, annotations, enums, records, etc.
User-friendly interface: A good Java decompiler should have a user-friendly interface that makes it easy to use. It should allow you to browse, search, filter, sort, and export the decompiled source code. It should also have syntax highlighting, indentation, line numbers, comments, etc.
Debugging support: A good Java decompiler should have a debugging support that allows you to integrate it with your IDE or editor and display the decompiled source code during your debugging process. It should also have breakpoints, step-by-step execution, variable inspection, etc.
Accuracy and reliability: A good Java decompiler should have a high level of accuracy and reliability in decompiling the Java bytecode. It should be able to handle complex and obfuscated code, as well as preserve the original names of classes, methods, fields, and variables.
Comparison table of some popular Java decompilers for Mac
To help you choose the best Java decompiler for Mac, we have prepared a comparison table of some popular Java decompilers that work on Mac. The table shows the features, pros, and cons of each Java decompiler, as well as the download links.
Java Decompiler
Features
Pros
Cons
Download Link
JD-GUI
- Standalone graphical utility- Supports JAR, ZIP, WAR, EAR, etc.- Supports Java 5 to Java 16- User-friendly interface- Export to HTML or RTF- Syntax highlighting- Line numbers- Comments
- Easy to use- Fast and lightweight- High accuracy and reliability- Handles complex and obfuscated code- Preserves original names
- No debugging support- No editing or recompiling support- No command-line interface- No online version
JD-Eclipse
- Plug-in for the Eclipse platform- Supports JAR, ZIP, WAR, EAR, etc.- Supports Java 5 to Java 16- User-friendly interface- Export to HTML or RTF- Syntax highlighting- Line numbers- Comments- Debugging support- Breakpoints- Step-by-step execution- Variable inspection
- Easy to use- Fast and lightweight- High accuracy and reliability- Handles complex and obfuscated code- Preserves original names- Integrates with Eclipse IDE- Displays source code during debugging process
- No editing or recompiling support- No command-line interface- No online version- Requires Eclipse platform
Fernflower
- Command-line utility- Supports JAR, ZIP, WAR, EAR, etc.- Supports Java 5 to Java 16- User-friendly interface (with GUI wrappers)- Export to HTML or RTF (with GUI wrappers)- Syntax highlighting (with GUI wrappers)- Line numbers (with GUI wrappers)- Comments (with GUI wrappers)- Debugging support (with GUI wrappers)
- Flexible and customizable- Fast and lightweight- High accuracy and reliability- Handles complex and obfuscated code- Preserves original names
- No editing or recompiling support- No online version
Procyon
- Command-line utility - Supports JAR, ZIP, WAR, EAR, etc. - Supports Java 5 to Java 16 - User-friendly interface (with GUI wrappers) - Export to HTML or RTF (with GUI wrappers) - Syntax highlighting (with GUI wrappers) - Line numbers (with GUI wrappers) - Comments (with GUI wrappers) - Debugging support (with GUI wrappers)
- Flexible and customizable - Fast and lightweight - High accuracy and reliability - Handles complex and obfuscated code - Preserves original names
- No editing or recompiling support - No online version
Cavaj
- Online Java decompiler - Supports JAR files only - Supports Java 5 to Java 16 - User-friendly interface - Export to HTML or RTF - Syntax highlighting - Comments
- Easy to use - No installation required - High accuracy and reliability - Handles complex and obfuscated code - Preserves original names
- Supports JAR files only - No debugging support - No editing or recompiling support - No command-line interface
How to download and install a Java decompiler for Mac?
Once you have chosen the Java decompiler that suits your needs, you can download and install it on your Mac. In this section, we will show you how to download and install two of the most popular Java decompilers for Mac: JD-GUI and JD-Eclipse.
How to download and install JD-GUI?
JD-GUI is a standalone graphical utility that displays Java source codes of .class files. It is easy to use and has a high level of accuracy and reliability. Here are the steps to download and install JD-GUI on your Mac:
Go to the official website of JD-GUI and click on the "Download" button. You will see a list of different versions of JD-GUI for different operating systems. Choose the one that matches your Mac OS version and click on it. For example, if you have Mac OS X 10.15 Catalina, you can choose "jd-gui-osx-1.6.6.tar" file.
A new window will open and ask you to save the file. Choose a location where you want to save the file and click on "Save". The file will start downloading.
Once the file is downloaded, go to the location where you saved it and double-click on it. It will extract a folder named "jd-gui" that contains the application file "JD-GUI".
Drag and drop the "JD-GUI" application file to your "Applications" folder. Alternatively, you can right-click on the file and choose "Open With" > "Finder" and then drag and drop it to your "Applications" folder.
You have successfully installed JD-GUI on your Mac. You can launch it by double-clicking on the "JD-GUI" application file in your "Applications" folder.
How to download and install JD-Eclipse?
JD-Eclipse is a plug-in for the Eclipse platform that allows you to display all the Java sources during your debugging process. It is easy to use and integrates well with Eclipse IDE. Here are the steps to download and install JD-Eclipse on your Mac:
Make sure you have Eclipse IDE installed on your Mac. If not, you can download it from the official website of Eclipse and follow the instructions to install it.
Launch Eclipse IDE and go to "Help" > "Install New Software". A new window will open.
In the "Work with" field, enter the following URL: https://java-decompiler.github.io/update/. This is the update site of JD-Eclipse.
Click on the "Add" button next to the field. A new window will open.
In the "Name" field, enter a name for the update site, such as "JD-Eclipse". Click on "OK". The window will close.
You will see a list of available software from the update site. Check the box next to "Java Decompiler Eclipse Plug-in". Click on "Next".
You will see a review of the items to be installed. Click on "Next".
You will see a license agreement. Read it carefully and accept it if you agree. Click on "Finish". The installation will start.
You may see a warning message that says that the software is not signed or verified. Click on "Install anyway". The installation will continue.
You may be asked to restart Eclipse IDE for the changes to take effect. Click on "Yes". Eclipse IDE will restart.
You have successfully installed JD-Eclipse on your Mac. You can use it by opening a .class file in Eclipse IDE and choosing "Decompile with JD-Core" from the context menu.
How to use a Java decompiler for Mac?
Now that you have downloaded and installed a Java decompiler for Mac, you can start using it to decompile Java bytecode and view Java source code. In this section, we will show you how to use two of the most popular Java decompilers for Mac: JD-GUI and JD-Eclipse How to use JD-GUI?
JD-GUI is a standalone graphical utility that displays Java source codes of .class files. It is easy to use and has a high level of accuracy and reliability. Here are the steps to use JD-GUI on your Mac:
Launch JD-GUI by double-clicking on the "JD-GUI" application file in your "Applications" folder.
You will see a window that shows the main menu and toolbar of JD-GUI, as well as an empty workspace.
To open a .class file or a JAR, ZIP, WAR, EAR, etc. file that contains .class files, you can either drag and drop the file to the workspace, or click on "File" > "Open File" and choose the file from your computer.
You will see the file name and its contents in the left panel of the workspace. You can expand or collapse the folders and subfolders to see the .class files inside them.
To view the decompiled source code of a .class file, you can either double-click on the file name in the left panel, or right-click on it and choose "Open".
You will see the decompiled source code in the right panel of the workspace. You can browse, search, filter, sort, and export the source code as you wish.
To close a file, you can either click on the "X" button next to the file name in the right panel, or right-click on it and choose "Close".
To close JD-GUI, you can either click on the red button in the top left corner of the window, or click on "File" > "Exit".
How to use JD-Eclipse?
JD-Eclipse is a plug-in for the Eclipse platform that allows you to display all the Java sources during your debugging process. It is easy to use and integrates well with Eclipse IDE. Here are the steps to use JD-Eclipse on your Mac:
Launch Eclipse IDE by double-clicking on the "Eclipse" application file in your "Applications" folder.
You will see a window that shows the main menu and toolbar of Eclipse IDE, as well as a workspace that contains different views and editors.
To open a .class file or a JAR, ZIP, WAR, EAR, etc. file that contains .class files, you can either drag and drop the file to the "Package Explorer" view in the left panel of the workspace, or click on "File" > "Open File" and choose the file from your computer.
You will see the file name and its contents in the "Package Explorer" view. You can expand or collapse the folders and subfolders to see the .class files inside them.
To view the decompiled source code of a .class file, you can either double-click on the file name in the "Package Explorer" view, or right-click on it and choose "Decompile with JD-Core".
You will see the decompiled source code in an editor tab in the center panel of the workspace. You can browse, search, filter, sort, and export the source code as you wish.
To debug a .class file, you can either click on the "Debug" button in the toolbar of Eclipse IDE, or right-click on the file name in the "Package Explorer" view and choose "Debug As" > "Java Application".
You will see the debugging perspective of Eclipse IDE, which shows different views and editors related to debugging. You can set breakpoints, step-by-step execution, variable inspection, etc. as you wish.
To close a file, you can either click on the "X" button next to the file name in the editor tab, or right-click on it and choose "Close".
To close Eclipse IDE, you can either click on the red button in the top left corner of the window, or click on "File" > "Exit".
Conclusion
In this article, we have shown you how to choose, download, install, and use a Java decompiler for Mac. We have also answered some frequently asked questions about Java decompilers.
A Java decompiler is a useful tool that can help you reverse engineer or analyze the Java bytecode and convert it back into readable and editable Java source code. It can help you recover lost or corrupted source code, explore third-party libraries or frameworks, debug or optimize your own or someone else's code, or learn from other developers' coding styles and techniques.
There are many Java decompilers available on the internet, but not all of them are compatible with Mac or offer the same features and quality. Therefore, before you download and install a Java decompiler for Mac, you should consider some factors that can help you make an informed decision. Some of the features that you should look for in a Java decompiler are support for different formats and versions of Java bytecode, user-friendly interface, debugging support, accuracy and reliability.
We have compared some popular Java decompilers that work on Mac and shown their features, pros, and cons. We have also shown how to download and install two of the most popular Java decompilers for Mac: JD-GUI and JD-Eclipse. JD-GUI is a standalone graphical utility that displays Java source codes of .class files. JD-Eclipse is a plug-in for the Eclipse platform that allows you to display all the Java sources during your debugging process. Both of them are easy to use and have a high level of accuracy and reliability.
If you are interested in trying out these Java decompilers for Mac, you can download them from the following links:
JD-GUI
JD-Eclipse
We hope this article has been helpful and informative for you. If you have any questions or feedback, please feel free to leave a comment below. Thank you for reading!
FAQs
Here are some frequently asked questions about Java decompilers:
What is the difference between a Java compiler and a Java decompiler?
A Java compiler is a tool that converts Java source code into Java bytecode, which is the compiled form of the Java source code. A Java decompiler is a tool that converts Java bytecode into Java source code, which is the reverse process of the Java compiler.
What are the limitations of a Java decompiler?
A Java decompiler has some limitations that prevent it from producing an exact replica of the original source code. Some of these limitations are:
A Java decompiler cannot recover comments or documentation from the bytecode.
A Java decompiler cannot recover local variable names from the bytecode.
A Java decompiler cannot recover some syntactic sugar or shorthand expressions from the bytecode.
A Java decompiler cannot handle some cases of obfuscation or encryption of the bytecode.
Can I edit and recompile the decompiled Java source code?
Yes, you can edit and recompile the decompiled Java source code if you have a suitable editor and compiler. However, you should be aware that editing and recompiling the decompiled source code may introduce errors or inconsistencies in the code. Therefore, you should always backup your original .class files before editing and recompiling them.
How can I compare the decompiled Java source code with the original source code?
If you have access to the original source code of the .class files that you want to decompile, you can compare them with the decompiled source code using a tool that can perform a diff or a comparison between two files. For example, you can use the "Compare with" feature of Eclipse IDE, or use an online tool such as Diff Checker. This way, you can see the differences and similarities between the decompiled source code and the original source code.
Are there any online Java decompilers that work for Mac?
Yes, there are some online Java decompilers that work for Mac. These are web-based tools that allow you to upload your .class files or JAR files and decompile them online. You don't need to download or install anything on your Mac. However, these online Java decompilers may have some limitations, such as file size limit, format restriction, or lower accuracy and reliability. One of the online Java decompilers that works for Mac is Cavaj, which we have mentioned in the comparison table above. dcd2dc6462