If all you are looking for are pre-compiled binaries for macOS, you can get them either:

1. At !KyngChaos: http://www.kyngchaos.com/software/frameworks#gdal_complete

2. Using [https://brew.sh Homebrew] via `brew install gdal`

Both include any dependencies necessary (PROJ/GEOS/etc).

----

But if you need to build GDAL, you have a couple of options. 

1. [https://brew.sh Homebrew] can do it all for you: `brew install gdal --HEAD`

2. Follow the BuildingOnUnix instructions.
  * Make sure you have [https://brew.sh Homebrew] installed, which will setup XCode & the build tools for you as well.
  * To easily get all the available dependencies, use Homebrew: `brew install gdal —-only-dependencies`
  * Clone the GDAL source code from Github
  * Configure & Make following BuildingOnUnix
  * If you want to make sure you're using Homebrew's Python, use `./configure --with-python=/usr/local/opt/python3/bin/python3`

If you want to Compile and Debug using XCode, use brew to install gdal, then follow the instructions to setup XCode from here: http://blog.burhum.com/post/35555678746/debugging-makefile-based-projects-using-xcode-gdal-as

----

'' !Beware! This information is old and quite possibly broken. ''

'''The Framework way'''

It is possible to compile GDAL in Mac OS, following the instructions from http://www.kyngchaos.com/macosx/build/gdal, but some important things must be taken into account. These are the steps I've followed:

My machine: MacBook with Mac OS X 10.6.8 (Snow Leopard). '''Update''': Also working in Mac OS X 10.9 (Mavericks) and 10.10 (Yosemite)

1.- Install UNIX Tools for Mac, needed to compile. You can find them with XCode, as an option during installation

2.- Install GDAL pre-requisites. All of them can be found as dmg images in KyngChaos wiki except one: Expat. You must compile it. So:
 2.1 - Install dmg images (these are the versions for Snow Leopard, but use the ones you need from http://www.kyngchaos.com/software/frameworks): 
   - UnixImageIO Framework: http://www.kyngchaos.com/files/software/frameworks/UnixImageIO_Framework-1.3.2.dmg
   - PROJ Framework: http://www.kyngchaos.com/files/software/frameworks/PROJ_Framework-4.7.0-2-snow.dmg
   - GEOS Framework: http://www.kyngchaos.com/files/software/frameworks/GEOS_Framework-3.3.2-1.dmg
 2.2 - Compile Expat, following these instructions: http://www.kyngchaos.com/macosx/build/expat

3.- All the Frameworks are installed in /Library/Frameworks. Now, you're ready to compile GDAL. The instructions are here: http://www.kyngchaos.com/macosx/build/gdal. '''BUT'''...

The paths shown in the instructions page may not work for you. If you followed the previous steps, the configure line you need to use is:


{{{
./configure --with-threads --disable-static --without-grass --with-jasper=/Library/Frameworks/UnixImageIO.framework/unix \
--with-libtiff=/Library/Frameworks/UnixImageIO.framework/unix --with-jpeg=/Library/Frameworks/UnixImageIO.framework/unix \
--with-gif=/Library/Frameworks/UnixImageIO.framework/unix --with-png=/Library/Frameworks/UnixImageIO.framework/unix \
--with-geotiff=/Library/Frameworks/UnixImageIO.framework/unix --with-sqlite3=/Library/Frameworks/SQLite3.framework/unix --with-odbc \
--with-pcraster=internal --with-geos=/Library/Frameworks/GEOS.framework/unix/bin/geos-config --with-static-proj4=/Library/Frameworks/PROJ.framework/unix\
 --with-expat=/usr/local --with-curl --with-python --with-macosx-framework --with-pg=/Library/PostgreSQL/9.1/bin/pg_config \
CFLAGS="-Os -arch i386 -arch x86_64" CXXFLAGS="-Os -arch i386 -arch x86_64" LDFLAGS="-arch i386 -arch x86_64"
}}}

Add --enable-debug, if you plan to debug GDAL.

'''WARNING:''' If you use a GDAL build newer than r23745, you may need to change GDALMake.opt.in. Specifically, replace this line


{{{
LIBTOOL_LINK    =       $(LIBTOOL) --mode=link    --tag=LD
}}}
 

with


{{{
LIBTOOL_LINK    =       $(LIBTOOL) --mode=link
}}}

Otherwise, you could get a linker error caused by libtool linking with gcc instead of g++. Related ticket #4557



4.- Execute make & sudo make install.

After that, your GDAL library should be correctly installed in /Library/Frameworks/GDAL.framework. Now you can add /Library/Frameworks/GDAL.framework/unix/bin to your PATH enviroment variable, in order to execute GDAL apps.