knowledge/technology/applications/mobile/Termux.md

---
obj: application
android-id: com.termux
website: https://termux.dev
repo: https://github.com/termux/termux-app
---

# Termux
Termux is an **Android terminal emulator and Linux environment app** that works directly with no rooting or setup required. A minimal base system is installed automatically - additional packages are available using the APT package manager.

## Intents and Hooks
Termux is able to catch several intents and execute shell scripts to act upon them:
- Sharing single files with Termux.  
    Following handle will be executed:`~/bin/termux-file-editor`
    - Opening in your popular editor by using a symbolic link:  
        `ln -s $PREFIX/bin/nvim ~/bin/termux-file-editor`
    - Creating a handle by creating a file and changing the access rights:
        1. `nano ~/bin/termux-file-editor`)
        2. `chmod +x ~/bin/termux-file-editor`)
- URL sharing available in common apps (e.g. Youtube).  
    Following handle will be executed: `~/bin/termux-url-opener`
    - Sharing a URL to be downloaded.  
        You can handle incoming URL by editing the content.  
        `yoursth-dl -f 'bestvideo[ext=mp4][height<=720]+bestaudio' --restrict-filenames -o '~/storage/downloads/%(title)s-%(id)s.%(ext)s' $1`

## SSHD
Since Termux does not use initialization system, services are started manually from command line.
To start OpenSSH server, you need to execute this command:
```shell
sshd
```

If you need to stop `sshd`, just kill it's process:
```shell
pkill sshd
```

SSH daemon does logging to Android system log, you can view it by running `logcat -s 'sshd:*'`. You can do that either from Termux or ADB.

## Sharing Data
Files stored in the home directory in Termux is not accessible to other applications by default. This is a limitation of Android itself.

As a workaround, you can use `termux-open` available in termux-tools package to share files with read access.
```
$ termux-open -h
Usage: termux-open [options] path-or-url
Open a file or URL in an external app.
  --send               if the file should be shared for sending
  --view               if the file should be shared for viewing (default)
  --chooser            if an app chooser should always be shown
  --content-type type  specify the content type to use
$ termux-open hello.c
```

## Termux:Boot
This addon will run scripts immediately after device was booted.

### Installation
Download add-on from [F-Droid](https://f-droid.org/packages/com.termux.boot/)

### Usage
1. Install the Termux:Boot app.
2. Go to Android settings and turn off battery optimizations for Termux and Termux:Boot applications.
3. Start the Termux:Boot app once by clicking on its launcher icon. This allows the app to be run at boot.
4. Create the `~/.termux/boot/` directory: Put scripts you want to execute inside the `~/.termux/boot/` directory. If there are multiple files, they will be executed in a sorted order.
5. It is helpful to run `termux-wake-lock` as first thing to prevent the device from sleeping.

> Example: to start an sshd server and prevent the device from sleeping at boot, create the following file at `~/.termux/boot/start-sshd`:

```
#!/data/data/com.termux/files/usr/bin/sh
termux-wake-lock
sshd
```

## Termux:API
This addon exposes device functionality as API to command line programs in [Termux](https://github.com/termux/).

### Installation
Download the Termux:API add-on from [F-Droid](https://f-droid.org/packages/com.termux.api/) or the Google Play Store. It is required for the API implementations to function.

### Installing termux-api package
To use Termux:API you also need to install the [termux-api](https://github.com/termux/termux-api-package) package.
```shell
pkg install termux-api
```

### APIs
#### `termux-wake-lock`
Use `termux-wake-lock` and `termux-wake-unlock` respectively to prevent the system from putting termux to sleep.

#### `termux-battery-status`
This command returns battery status information as [JSON](../../files/JSON.md).

#### `termux-brightness`
Set the display brightness. Note that this may not work if automatic brightness control is enabled.
```shell
termux-brightness [brightness]
```

Brightness value should be between 0 and 255 or auto.

#### `termux-camera-info`
Get information about device camera(s) in [JSON](../../files/JSON.md) format.

#### `termux-camera-photo`
Take a photo and save it to a file in JPEG format.
```shell
termux-camera-photo [-c camera-id] output-file
```

#### `termux-wallpaper`
Change wallpaper on your device.

##### Options
| Option     | Description                     |
| ---------- | ------------------------------- |
| -f \<file> | set wallpaper from file         |
| -u \<url>  | set wallpaper from url resource |
| -l         | set wallpaper for lockscreen    |

#### `termux-volume`
Change volume of specified audio stream.
```shell
termux-volume [stream] [volume]
```

Valid audio streams are: `alarm`, `music`, `notification`, `ring`, `system`, `call`.

Call w/o arguments to show information about each audio stream (output format is json).

#### `termux-vibrate`
Vibrate the device.

##### Options
| Option      | Description                                  |
| ----------- | -------------------------------------------- |
| -d duration | the duration to vibrate in ms (default:1000) | 
| -f          | force vibration even in silent mode          |

#### `termux-torch`
Toggle LED Torch on device.

```shell
termux-torch [on | off]
```

#### `termux-storage-get`
Request a file from the system and write it to the specified file.

```shell
termux-storage-get [output-file]
```

#### `termux-share`
Share a specified file or text from standard input.

##### Options
| Option          | Description                                                                      |
| --------------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| -a action       | which action to performed on the shared content: edit/send/view (default:view)   |
| -c content-type | content-type to use (default: guessed from file extension, text/plain for stdin) |
| -d              | share to the default receiver if one is selected instead of showing a chooser    |
| -t title        | title to use for shared content (default: shared file name)                      |


#### `termux-sensor`
Get information about types of sensors as well as live data.

##### Options
| Option           | Description                                                      |
| ---------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------- |
| -a, all          | Listen to all sensors (WARNING! may have battery impact)         |
| -c, cleanup      | Perform cleanup (release sensor resources)                       |
| -l, list         | Show list of available sensors                                   |
| -s, sensors \[]  | Sensors to listen to (can contain just partial name)             |
| -d, delay \[ms]  | Delay time in milliseconds before receiving new sensor update    |
| -n, limit \[num] | Number of times to read sensor(s) (default: continuous) (min: 1) |

#### `termux-fingerprint`
Use fingerprint sensor on device to check for authentication. Output is [JSON](../../files/JSON.md).

#### `termux-media-player`
Play specified file using Media Player API.
```shell
termux-media-player info # Displays current playback information
termux-media-player play # Resumes playback if paused
termux-media-player play <file> # Plays specified media file
termux-media-player pause # Pauses playback
termux-media-player stop # Quits playback
```

#### `termux-microphone-record`
Record using microphone on your device.

##### Options
| Option        | Description                                                      |
| ------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------- |
| -d            | Start recording with defaults                                    |
| -f            | Start recording to specific file                                 |
| -l \<limit>   | Start recording w/ specified limit (in seconds, unlimited for 0) |
| -e \<encoder> | Start recording w/ specified encoder (aac, amr_wb, amr_nb)       |
| -b \<bitrate> | Start recording w/ specified bitrate (in kbps)                   |
| -r \<rate>    | Start recording w/ specified sampling rate (in Hz)               | 
| -c \<count>   | Start recording w/ specified channel count (1, 2, ...)           |
| -i            | Get info about current recording                                 |
| -q            | Quits recording                                                  |

#### `termux-notification`
Display a system notification. Content text is specified using -c/--content or read from stdin.

##### Options
| Option                  | Description                                                                 |
| ----------------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| --action action         | action to execute when pressing the notification                            |
| --button1 text          | text to show on the first notification button                               |
| --button1-action action | action to execute on the first notification button                          |
| --button2 text          | text to show on the second notification button                              |
| --button2-action action | action to execute on the second notification button                         |
| --button3 text          | text to show on the third notification button                               |
| --button3-action action | action to execute on the third notification button                          |
| -c, --content content   | content to show in the notification. Will take precedence over stdin.       |
| --group group           | notification group (notifications with the same group are shown together)   |
| -i, --id id             | notification id (will overwrite any previous notification with the same id) |
| --image-path path       | absolute path to an image which will be shown in the notification           |
| --on-delete action      | action to execute when the the notification is cleared                      |
| --ongoing               | pin the notification                                                        |
| --priority prio         | notification priority (high/low/max/min/default)                            |
| --sound                 | play a sound with the notification                                          |
| -t/--title title        | notification title to show                                                  |

#### `termux-notification-remove`
Remove a notification previously shown with `termux-notification --id`.
```shell
termux-notification-remove [id]
```

#### `termux-dialog`
Show dialog widget for user input.

```shell
termux-dialog widget [options]
```

```
confirm - Show confirmation dialog
    [-i hint] text hint (optional)
    [-t title] set title of dialog (optional)

checkbox - Select multiple values using checkboxes
    [-v ",,,"] comma delim values to use (required)
    [-t title] set title of dialog (optional)

counter - Pick a number in specified range
    [-r min,max,start] comma delim of (3) numbers to use (optional)
    [-t title] set title of dialog (optional)

date - Pick a date
    [-t title] set title of dialog (optional)
    [-d "dd-MM-yyyy k:m:s"] SimpleDateFormat Pattern for date widget output (optional)

radio - Pick a single value from radio buttons
    [-v ",,,"] comma delim values to use (required)
    [-t title] set title of dialog (optional)

sheet - Pick a value from sliding bottom sheet
    [-v ",,,"] comma delim values to use (required)
    [-t title] set title of dialog (optional)

spinner - Pick a single value from a dropdown spinner
    [-v ",,,"] comma delim values to use (required)
    [-t title] set title of dialog (optional)

speech - Obtain speech using device microphone
    [-i hint] text hint (optional)
    [-t title] set title of dialog (optional)

text - Input text (default if no widget specified)
    [-i hint] text hint (optional)
    [-m] multiple lines instead of single (optional)*
    [-n] enter input as numbers (optional)*
    [-p] enter input as password (optional)
    [-t title] set title of dialog (optional)
       * cannot use [-m] with [-n]

time - Pick a time value
    [-t title] set title of dialog (optional)
```