Termux: A Complete Guide for Beginners

Termux is a powerful terminal emulator and Linux environment for Android. It allows users to run command-line tools and applications on their Android devices without rooting. Whether you're a developer, ethical hacker, or just a tech enthusiast, Termux provides a full-fledged Linux experience right in your pocket.

In this blog, we'll cover:

• What Termux is and why it's useful

• Basic Termux commands

• Package management

• File operations

• Networking tools

• Scripting in Termux

• Useful tips and tricks

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1. What is Termux?

Termux is an Android terminal emulator that provides a Linux-like environment. It comes with its own package manager (pkg and apt) and supports thousands of command-line tools, programming languages, and utilities.

Why Use Termux?

• Run Linux commands on Android

• Develop and run Python, Bash, C, and other scripts

• Use networking tools like nmap, curl, wget

• SSH into remote servers

• Ethical hacking and penetration testing (with tools like Metasploit)

• Learn Linux commands without needing a PC

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2. Getting Started with Termux

Installation

Download Termux from:

• F-Droid (Recommended)

• Google Play Store (May be outdated)

Basic Setup

After installation, run these commands to update packages:

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pkg update && pkg upgrade

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3. Basic Termux Commands

Here are some essential commands to get started:

Navigation Commands

Command	Description
pwd	Print current working directory
ls	List files and directories
cd [directory]	Change directory
cd ..	Move to parent directory
cd ~	Go to home directory
mkdir [name]	Create a new directory
rmdir [name]	Remove an empty directory

File Operations

Command	Description
touch [file]	Create a new file
cat [file]	Display file content
nano [file]	Edit file using Nano editor
cp [source] [destination]	Copy a file
mv [source] [destination]	Move or rename a file
rm [file]	Delete a file
rm -rf [directory]	Force delete a directory

System Information

Command	Description
uname -a	Show system information
whoami	Display current user
df -h	Show disk space usage
top	Display running processes
ps	List active processes

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4. Package Management

Termux uses pkg (a wrapper for apt) to install packages.

Basic Package Commands

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pkg update            # Update package list
pkg upgrade           # Upgrade all installed packages
pkg install [package] # Install a package (e.g., `pkg install python`)
pkg remove [package]  # Uninstall a package
pkg search [keyword]  # Search for packages
pkg list-installed    # List installed packages

Popular Packages to Install

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pkg install python    # Python programming
pkg install git       # Git version control
pkg install wget      # Download files
pkg install curl      # Transfer data via URLs
pkg install nmap      # Network scanning
pkg install vim       # Advanced text editor

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5. Networking in Termux

Termux includes many networking tools:

Basic Networking Commands

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ping google.com       # Check internet connectivity
ifconfig              # Network interface info (requires `net-tools`)
wget [URL]            # Download a file
curl [URL]            # Fetch URL content
ssh user@host         # Connect via SSH

Setting Up an SSH Server

1. Install OpenSSH:

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   pkg install openssh

2. Start SSH server:

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   sshd

3. Find your IP:

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   ifconfig

4. Connect from another device:

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   ssh [username]@[your-ip] -p 8022

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6. Scripting in Termux

You can write and execute scripts in Termux using Bash or Python.

Creating a Simple Bash Script

1. Create a file:

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   nano hello.sh

2. Add the following:

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   #!/bin/bash
   echo "Hello, Termux!"

3. Save (Ctrl+O) and exit (Ctrl+X).

4. Make it executable:

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   chmod +x hello.sh

5. Run it:

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   ./hello.sh

Running Python Scripts

1. Install Python:

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   pkg install python

2. Create a Python script:

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   nano hello.py

3. Add:

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   print("Hello from Python!")

4. Run it:

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   python hello.py

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7. Useful Termux Tips & Tricks

• Storage Access: Run termux-setup-storage to grant Termux access to device storage.

• Customize Prompt: Edit ~/.bashrc to change the terminal appearance.

• Run GUI Apps: Use Termux:X11 add-on for GUI applications.

• Run Linux Distributions: Install proot-distro to run Ubuntu, Debian, etc.

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  pkg install proot-distro
  proot-distro install ubuntu
  proot-distro login ubuntu

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Conclusion

Termux is a versatile tool that brings the power of Linux to Android. Whether you're learning command-line basics, coding on the go, or performing network security tasks, Termux has you covered. Start exploring and unlock the full potential of your Android device!

Next Steps

• Try installing more packages (pkg list-all)

• Learn Bash scripting

• Experiment with networking tools like nmap and netcat

Happy hacking with Termux! 🚀