This document is a WORK IN PROGRESS.
This is just a quick personal cheat sheet: treat its contents with caution!

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termux

termux is an Android terminal emulator and Linux environment application that works directly with no rooting or setup required. A minimal base system is installed automatically, additional packages are available using the package manager (with a dedicated termux APT repository.

Reference(s)

• https://wiki.termux.com/wiki/Main_Page
• https://wiki.termux.com/wiki/FAQ
• https://github.com/termux/
• https://github.com/termux/termux-app
• https://github.com/termux/termux-packages
• https://f-droid.org/en/packages/com.termux/
• https://f-droid.org/en/packages/com.termux.api/
• https://f-droid.org/en/packages/com.termux.boot/
• https://f-droid.org/en/packages/com.termux.widget/

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table of contents

• install
• config
• use
  • basic termux commands
  • access to termux via ssh over local WiFi
  • access to termux via ssh over USB
  • automatic and periodic backup via rsync
  • misc
  • TODO

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install

• Install:

  • termux
  • termux:api (expose basic android functionalities)
  • termux:boot (allows programs to be run at boot)
  • termux:widget (adds shortcuts to termux scripts and commands on the home screen)

• In termux, install the termux-api package:

  $ pkg termux-api
  

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config

• Allow to access shared and external storage from termux

• In termux, make sure termux-api can access SMS, contacts and location:

  $ termux-sms-list
  $ termux-contact-list
  $ termux-location
  

• In your android home screen, swipe left to access your launcher's widget menu -> edit -> add widget -> termux widget (now your termux widgets will appear in the termux section)

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use

basic termux commands

• search termux packages:

  $ pkg search package-name
  

• install termux packages:

  $ pkg install package-name
  

• update termux packages:

  $ pkg upgrade
  

• remove termux packages:

  $
  

access to termux via ssh over local WiFi

• In termux, run $ whoami to get your user name

• In termux, run $ passwd to setup your user password

• In termux, run $ ifconfig to get your local IP (on the same WiFi that your GNU/Linux distro)

• In termux, install openssh: $ pkg install openssh

• In termux, run $ sshd in order to startup your ssh server ($ pkill sshd to stop it)

• In GNU/Linux, run $ ssh -p 8022 user-name@local-ip in order to connect

• OPTIONAL: In termux, create widgets shortcuts to start and stop sshd:

  $ mkdir -p $HOME/.shortcuts/
  $ vi $HOME/.shortcuts/tasks/start-sshd
    > sshd
  $ vi $HOME/.shortcuts/tasks/kill-sshd
    > pkill sshd
  

access to termux via ssh over USB

Prerequisite

• ADB

• The procedure is almost the same than for accessing termux via ssh over local WiFi, but in GNU/Linux: instead of running $ ssh -p 8022 user-name@local-ip run the following:

  $ sudo /opt/android-sdk/platform-tools/adb forward tcp:8022 tcp:8022
  $ ssh -p 8022 user-name@127.0.0.1
  

automatic and periodic backup via rsync

• In termux, install rsync and openssh:

  $ pkg install openssh rsync
  

• In termux, generate a RSA key pair and share the public key with your server:

  $ ssh-keygen -o -t rsa -b 4096 -f "/$HOME/.ssh/ssh_android_rsa_key" -N ""
  $ ssh-copy-id -i $HOME/.ssh/ssh_android_rsa_key.pub server-user@server-ip
  

• In termux, create this script:

  $ mkdir -p $HOME/scripts
  $ vi $HOME/sync-android-with-server
    > #! /data/data/com.termux/files/usr/bin/bash
    >
    > mkdir -p $HOME/.tmp
    > mkdir -p $HOME/.logs
    >
    > rsync --archive --compress --human-readable --progress $HOME/storage/dcim/OpenCamera server-user@server-ip:/path/to/android/backup >| $HOME/.logs/last-rsync-cam.log
    >
    > termux-sms-list >| $HOME/.tmp/termux-sms-list
    >
    > rsync --archive --compress --human-readable --progress $HOME/.tmp/termux-sms-list server-user@server-ip:/path/to/android/backup >| $HOME/.logs/last-rsync-sms.log
    >
    > termux-contact-list >| $HOME/.tmp/termux-contact-list
    >
    > rsync --archive --compress --human-readable --progress $HOME/.tmp/termux-contact-list server-user@server-ip:/path/to/android/backup >| $HOME/.logs/last-rsync-contacts.log
    >
    > #termux-location >| $HOME/.tmp/termux-location
    >
    > #rsync --archive --compress --human-readable --progress $HOME/.tmp/termux-location server-user@server-ip:/path/to/android/backup >| $HOME/.logs/last-rsync-location.log
    >
  $ chmod +x sync-android-with-server
  

• OPTIONAL: In termux, you can create a widget shortcut to trigger the previous script manually:

  $ mkdir -p $HOME/.shortcuts/tasks
  $ ln -s $HOME/scripts/sync-android-with-server $HOME/.shortcuts/tasks
  

• Install termux-job-scheduler instead of cronie (for Cron), in order to get periodic scripts execution without having to prevent the device from sleeping, e.g. with the previous script (every hour, even after reboots):

  $ pkg install termux-job-scheduler
  $ termux-job-scheduler -s $HOME/scripts/sync-android-with-server --period-ms 3600000 --persisted true
  $ termux-job-scheduler -p # check that the script is active
  

misc

• In termux, install runnit (termux-services), install cronie and enable it, and edit your crontab:

  $ pkg install cronie termux-services
  $ sv-enable crond
  $ crontab -e
  

TODO

• extract apps list

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