ZAP stores its session data in an HSQLDB file database. There is also experimental support for other database engines.
Since ZAP locks its session file, it is only possible to view or modify the database when ZAP doesn’t have the session open.
Session files are usually stored under session/ in the default directory.
This guide explains how to make changes to ZAP using IntelliJ IDEA.
You will need to have followed the Quick Start Guide to Building ZAP and installed a version of IntelliJ IDEA.
ZAP has a plugin architecture and new functionality is implemented via add-ons.
Add-ons can be defined in any repository but most of the ones that the ZAP core team maintains live in zap-extensions. You should use this repository if you are planning on contributing your add-on to the ZAP project, but please talk to the ZAP Core team about this first via the ZAP Developer Group. If you are planning on maintaining your add-on yourself then you should create it in another repository.
If you want to make changes to ZAP using the Eclipse IDE then you are in the right place.
You will need to have followed the Quick Start Guide to Building ZAP and installed a version of Eclipse suitable for Java development. We would suggest the “Eclipse IDE for Java Developers” package.
Ever wanted to experiment with the ZAP codebase but felt intimidated by it? This guide will walk you through the process of building ZAP from the command line regardless of your operating system or IDE.
You can also follow along with Simon Bennetts as he sets the ZAP development environment in this Deep Dive video:
This guide is intended to serve as a basic introduction for using ZAP to perform security testing, even if you don’t have a background in security testing. To that end, some security testing concepts and terminology is included but this document is not intended to be a comprehensive guide to either ZAP or security testing.