Getting Started with Termux on Android: A Comprehensive Guide

Dec 25, 2023 · Updated: Dec 30, 2024 · Android, Termux

Overview

Termux is a powerful terminal emulator for Android that brings a Linux-like command-line experience to your mobile device. In this guide, we’ll walk through the installation process using F-Droid, setting up storage access, and exploring the basic functionality of Termux.

Installing Termux from F-Droid

To install Termux on your Android device, follow these steps:

Install F-Droid: F-Droid is an open-source app store that hosts a variety of free and open-source applications, including Termux. You can do this by downloading the F-Droid APK from the official website and installing it on your device. or you can download it from here.
Search for Termux: Once F-Droid is installed, open it and search for Termux and install it.
Grant Permissions: After the installation is complete, launch Termux. You will be prompted to grant storage access. Allow them to proceed.
Storage Access: To access your device’s storage from Termux, you need to grant permission. Run the following command in Termux :)
```
termux-setup-storage
```
Confirm the permission request when prompted.

Getting Started with Termux

Now that you have Termux installed and storage access configured, you can start using it as a powerful terminal on your Android device. Here are some tips to help you get started.

Basic Commands

Termux use the package manager pkg or apt or apt-get to install and manage software packages.

Here are some basic commands to get you started:

Update Package List:
```
pkg update
```
Install a Package:
```
pkg install <package_name>
```
Accessing Storage: With termux-setup-storage, you have granted access to your device’s storage. You can navigate to the storage directory using the cd command:
```
cd storage/shared
ls
```
Full system upgrade: in termux, we dont need to using sudo to upgrade system.
```
apt update -y && apt upgrade -y && apt dist-upgrade -y
```

Conclusion

Actually you can even install a full Linux distribution on your Android device using Termux and launch it using a VNC client. Termux is a versatile tool that can be used for various purposes, from running scripts to setting up a web server. It’s a must-have app for anyone who wants to explore the world of command-line interfaces on their Android device.