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Documentation Index

Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://mintlify.com/termux/termux-app/llms.txt

Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

Termux ships with a minimal bootstrap environment that provides a working shell and the APT package manager. From there you can install any of the thousands of packages maintained in the termux-packages repository, ranging from compilers and interpreters to editors and network tools.

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pkg vs apt

pkg is a wrapper around apt that adds a few conveniences: it automatically runs apt update before installing, provides shorter subcommand names, and handles some Termux-specific quirks. You can use either tool; pkg is recommended for interactive use because it reduces the number of commands needed for common operations. 
pkg update              # refresh the package index
pkg upgrade             # upgrade all installed packages
pkg install <name>      # install a package
pkg uninstall <name>    # remove a package
pkg search <query>      # search for packages by name or description
pkg list-installed      # list all installed packages
pkg show <name>         # show package metadata
Always run pkg update or apt update before installing new packages. Package lists can become stale, causing “unable to locate package” errors.

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Common packages

Languages and runtimes

python, nodejs, ruby, perl, lua54

Development tools

gcc, clang, make, cmake, binutils

Version control

git, gh (GitHub CLI)

Editors

vim, neovim, nano, emacs

Network and remote access

openssh, curl, wget, nmap, netcat

Shells

bash, zsh, fish, dash
Install multiple packages in a single command: 
pkg install git vim openssh python

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Package repositories and sources

Termux packages are hosted across several repositories. The main repository contains the majority of packages. Additional repositories exist for specific categories:
RepositoryContents
stable (default)Core Termux packages
x11X11-based graphical packages
rootPackages requiring root access
Repository sources are listed in $PREFIX/etc/apt/sources.list. Additional per-repository files live in $PREFIX/etc/apt/sources.list.d/. You can inspect and edit these files directly, or use pkg to manage them.
Do not mix packages from different Termux installation sources (F-Droid, GitHub, Google Play). All installed APKs — including plugin apps — must come from the same source because they share a sharedUserId and must be signed with the same key.

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The bootstrap environment

When Termux starts for the first time (or after the prefix directory is absent), it automatically extracts a bootstrap zip into $PREFIX (/data/data/com.termux/files/usr). This zip is bundled with the APK and provides the minimal environment needed to run apt and start a shell. The bootstrap packages themselves are built and released from the termux/termux-packages repository. Once the bootstrap is installed, use pkg upgrade to bring all bootstrap packages up to date: 
pkg update && pkg upgrade

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Finding available packages

Search for packages by name or keywords: 
pkg search python      # packages with "python" in the name or description
pkg search "text editor"
Browse the full package list on GitHub at github.com/termux/termux-packages. Each package directory contains a build.sh file with version info and a description.

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Removing packages

pkg uninstall vim          # remove a package but keep its configuration
apt remove --purge vim     # remove a package and its configuration files
apt autoremove             # remove packages that were installed as dependencies
                           # and are no longer needed

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