Termux App Store: A Community Package Manager for Termux on Android

If you use Termux on Android, you probably know the feeling:

You find a useful command-line tool on GitHub, but then you have to figure out how to install it on Termux.

Maybe it is not available in the official Termux repositories.

Maybe it is a small developer tool that does not make sense for the official repository.

Maybe the project provides source code, but no Termux package.

Or maybe you simply want an easier way to discover and manage community packages.

That is the problem I wanted to solve with Termux App Store.

«Termux App Store is a community-driven TUI and CLI package manager for Termux on Android.»

It is designed to make it easier to discover, install, build, update, and manage community packages directly from Termux.

GitHub: https://github.com/djunekz/termux-app-store

PyPI: https://pypi.org/project/termux-app-store/

Website: https://termux-app-store.pages.dev/

What Is Termux App Store?

Termux App Store (“termux-app-store”) is an offline-first, binary-safe, source-based TUI and CLI package manager built specifically for Termux on Android.

It is written in Python using Textual and provides both an interactive terminal interface and traditional command-line commands.

The goal is simple:

Find a package
↓
Inspect it
↓
Install it
↓
Manage it
↓
Update it

Instead of manually finding repositories, downloading files, building packages, and remembering different installation procedures, Termux App Store provides a unified interface.

For example:

pkg install python
pip install termux-app-store

Then:

termux-app-store

Or use the shorter command:

tas

You can also use it directly from the CLI:

termux-app-store search
termux-app-store list
termux-app-store show
termux-app-store install
termux-app-store update
termux-app-store upgrade
termux-app-store uninstall

Why Build Another Package Manager for Termux?

Termux already has a powerful package ecosystem.

The official Termux repositories are the foundation of the platform, and projects such as TUR (Termux User Repository) extend the available software.

So why create another package manager?

Because there is another layer of software that developers and users want to distribute.

Think about a small CLI project.

It may be:

• useful to a specific group of Termux users
• experimental
• maintained by one developer
• too niche for an official repository
• frequently changing
• designed specifically for Android/Termux
• useful as a personal or community tool

These projects still need a way to reach users.

That is where a community package layer becomes useful.

The Problem With Finding Termux Packages

The problem is not always:

«”How do I install a package?”»

Sometimes the real problem is:

«”Where do I find the package in the first place?”»

A developer might search:

Termux package
Termux community package
Termux custom package
Termux CLI tools
Termux package repository
Termux Android packages

But useful projects can be scattered across GitHub repositories, personal projects, community repositories, and documentation.

Termux App Store tries to make package discovery part of the package management experience.

Instead of starting with:

GitHub → README → dependencies → build instructions → troubleshooting

the workflow can become:

Termux App Store
↓
Search
↓
Package information
↓
Install

A Package Manager Designed for Termux

Termux App Store is not intended to replace the official Termux package ecosystem.

Instead, it provides an additional community-oriented layer.

A simplified way to think about the ecosystem is:

             Termux
               │
      Official packages
               │
      ┌────────┴────────┐
      │                 │
 Official repo         TUR
      │                 │
      └────────┬────────┘
               │
      Community layer
               │
       Termux App Store
               │
    ┌──────────┴──────────┐
    │                     │

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Pre-built .deb Source builds

The philosophy is similar to the idea behind the AUR (Arch User Repository): provide a community-driven layer where users can access software outside the scope of the core repository.

However, Termux App Store is designed specifically for Termux on Android.

Termux App Store vs Official Termux Packages vs TUR

These projects serve different purposes.

Official Termux packages

The official Termux package repository is maintained as part of the core Termux ecosystem.

It focuses on software that belongs in the official distribution.

TUR

TUR, or Termux User Repository, provides additional packages for Termux while maintaining a curated contributor workflow.

Termux App Store

Termux App Store focuses on a more open, community-driven package layer.

A package can be represented by a “build.sh” file containing its metadata and build instructions.

This makes it possible for individual developers to distribute their own Termux-compatible tools without needing to turn every small project into an official distribution package.

The important distinction is:

«Termux App Store is an independent community project and is not affiliated with the official Termux project.»

Binary Installation and Source Builds

One of the major changes in Termux App Store v0.4.x is the introduction of a fast installation engine.

Previously, the focus was primarily on source-based installation.

Now the system can use pre-built “.deb” packages.

The general workflow looks like this:

termux-app-store install
│
▼
Check local cache
│
┌───────┴───────┐
│ │
HIT MISS
│ │
▼ ▼
Verify SHA256 Find mirror
│
┌───────┼───────┐
│ │ │
GitHub CDN Fallback
│ │ │
└───────┼───────┘
│
▼
Download .deb
│
▼
SHA256 check
│
▼
dpkg

The binary installation engine uses a mirror pool and local caching.

The current implementation supports mirrors including GitHub Pages, Cloudflare CDN, jsDelivr, and a raw GitHub fallback.

Packages are verified using architecture-specific SHA256 information before installation.

This makes common installations significantly faster than compiling everything locally.

Why Keep Source Builds?

Because convenience should not remove control.

Pre-built packages are useful when you want speed.

Source builds are useful when you want transparency and control.

Termux App Store therefore keeps both approaches available.

For example:

termux-app-store install my-package

can use the fast binary installation path.

If you want to force a source build:

termux-app-store fix-install my-package

This gives users a choice:

         Installation
              │
    ┌─────────┴─────────┐
    │                   │
 Binary               Source
    │                   │
 Fast install       Full control
    │                   │
 Cached .deb        build.sh

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Offline-First by Design

One of the principles behind Termux App Store is local-first computing.

The application should not require a cloud service to manage your packages.

There is no account system.

There is no mandatory login.

There is no telemetry requirement.

There is no background service.

The package manager operates directly inside your Termux environment.

The local binary cache also means that packages can be reused without downloading the same “.deb” repeatedly during its cache lifetime.

The philosophy is:

«Local first. Control over convenience. Transparency over magic.»

Security and Package Verification

Package managers are powerful because they can execute software on your machine.

That also means package distribution needs to be treated seriously.

Termux App Store includes several mechanisms intended to make package installation more transparent.

For binary packages, SHA256 verification is performed before installation.

For source-based packages, the build instructions are represented through a visible “build.sh” file.

A simplified package structure looks like:

packages/
└── my-tool/
└── build.sh

A package definition can contain metadata such as:

TERMUX_PKG_HOMEPAGE=””
TERMUX_PKG_DESCRIPTION=””
TERMUX_PKG_LICENSE=””
TERMUX_PKG_MAINTAINER=””
TERMUX_PKG_VERSION=””
TERMUX_PKG_SRCURL=””
TERMUX_PKG_SHA256=””

This makes the source of a package easier to inspect and audit.

The goal is not to make users blindly trust an installer.

The goal is to make the installation process visible and auditable.

The Package Definition Is Simple

Every package starts with a “build.sh”.

For example:

packages/my-tool/build.sh

This approach is intentionally familiar to developers who have worked with Linux package build systems.

You can create a package template with:

./termux-build create my-tool

Or initialize one from a GitHub repository:

./termux-build init https://github.com/user/repository

Then validate it:

./termux-build lint my-tool

This creates a workflow where a developer can go from an existing GitHub project to a Termux package without manually constructing everything from scratch.

Introducing termux-build

Termux App Store also includes “termux-build”.

It is a package validation and development helper.

It is not an automatic publishing system.

Its job is to help developers and reviewers create and validate Termux package definitions.

For example:

./termux-build create my-tool

Create a package.

./termux-build lint my-tool

Check the package.

./termux-build check-pr my-tool

Check whether the package is ready for a pull request.

./termux-build doctor

Diagnose the environment.

Other commands include:

./termux-build suggest
./termux-build explain
./termux-build template
./termux-build guide

The idea is to make package creation and review easier for the community.

tasctl: Managing the Manager

Termux App Store also includes “tasctl”.

It acts as a controller for the Termux App Store installation itself.

For example:

./tasctl install
./tasctl update
./tasctl uninstall
./tasctl doctor
./tasctl self-update

This separates package management from management of the package manager itself.

What Can Users Do?

The CLI provides commands for the common package management workflow.

Search packages

termux-app-store search

List packages

termux-app-store list

Inspect a package

termux-app-store show

Install

termux-app-store install

Install multiple packages

termux-app-store install pkg1 pkg2 pkg3

Update package information

termux-app-store update

Upgrade packages

termux-app-store upgrade

Uninstall

termux-app-store uninstall

Check mirrors

termux-app-store mirrors

Manage cache

termux-app-store cache info
termux-app-store cache clear

This means Termux App Store can be used as both an interactive TUI and a traditional CLI tool.

The TUI Experience

For users who prefer an interactive terminal interface:

termux-app-store

or:

tas

opens the TUI.

The interface is designed for both keyboard and touchscreen navigation.

Instead of remembering commands, users can browse available packages, search for tools, inspect package information, and perform package operations through the terminal UI.

This is especially useful for users who are comfortable with Termux but do not want to memorize every package-management command.

Who Is Termux App Store For?

There are several groups that can benefit from it.

Termux users

Users can discover community packages and install them without manually figuring out every project’s build process.

Developers

Developers can distribute their CLI tools as Termux packages.

Instead of telling users:

git clone
cd project
install dependencies
compile
configure
fix errors

they can provide a package definition.

Package maintainers

Maintainers can manage multiple Termux packages and use validation tools to keep package definitions consistent.

Reviewers

Reviewers can inspect “build.sh” files and package metadata before accepting a contribution.

How Developers Can Distribute a Termux Package

Suppose you have a GitHub project called:

my-awesome-cli

You want Termux users to be able to install it.

The basic workflow is:

git clone https://github.com/djunekz/termux-app-store
cd termux-app-store

Create the package:

./termux-build create my-awesome-cli

Or initialize from GitHub:

./termux-build init https://github.com/yourname/my-awesome-cli

Then validate:

./termux-build lint my-awesome-cli

After testing, submit the package through a pull request.

This creates a path from:

Developer project
↓
build.sh
↓
Validation
↓
Pull Request
↓
Termux App Store
↓
Termux users

That distribution pipeline is one of the most important ideas behind the project.

88+ Packages and Growing

The project is not only a package manager.

It is also becoming a package ecosystem.

At the time of writing, the project provides dozens of community packages, with the package catalog continuing to grow.

The long-term goal is not simply to have a large number of packages.

The goal is to make those packages discoverable, installable, reproducible, and maintainable.

A package catalog becomes more useful when users can search it before they even open Termux.

That is why package discovery is an important part of the future of Termux App Store.

From Package Manager to Package Registry

There is a bigger idea behind this project.

A package manager alone answers:

«”How do I install this?”»

A package registry can answer:

«”What exists?”»

That distinction matters.

Imagine searching Google for:

Termux ffmpeg

or:

Termux CLI tools

or:

Termux community packages

and finding a package page that explains:

Package name
Description
Version
Architecture
Dependencies
Source repository
SHA256
Installation command

The ideal workflow becomes:

Search
↓
Discover
↓
Understand
↓
Install
↓
Manage

This is one of the directions I want Termux App Store to move toward.

SEO and Package Discovery

Software ecosystems have a discovery problem.

Developers may create useful tools, but if users cannot find them, the software effectively does not exist.

That is why terms such as:

• Termux package manager
• Termux packages
• Termux community packages
• Termux package repository
• Termux custom packages
• Termux Android packages
• Termux “.deb” packages
• Termux source build
• Termux CLI tools
• Termux package installation

are important search concepts for the ecosystem.

The goal is not keyword stuffing.

The goal is to connect real user problems with real packages.

For example:

User searches:
“how to install a custom package in Termux”

         ↓

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Termux App Store documentation

         ↓

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Package format + build.sh

         ↓

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Install command

Or:

User searches:
“Termux package repository”

         ↓

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Termux App Store package registry

         ↓

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Browse packages

         ↓

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Install

The website therefore has the potential to become more than a project homepage.

It can become a searchable package index for the Termux community.

Why “AUR for Termux” Is a Useful Analogy

Developers familiar with Arch Linux may immediately understand the concept.

The AUR provides a community-driven ecosystem around Arch packages.

Termux App Store follows a similar philosophy:

Official Termux packages
+
Community packages
+
Developer-maintained tools
+
Source build definitions

But the implementation and package format are designed around Termux and Android.

So a simple way to describe it is:

«An AUR-like community package layer for Termux.»

Not an official Termux replacement.

Not a replacement for “pkg”.

Not a hidden installer.

Instead, an independent community ecosystem for software that can run on Termux.

Privacy by Default

Modern software often assumes that users are comfortable with accounts, analytics, telemetry, and cloud services.

Termux App Store takes a different approach.

The project is designed around:

No account
No mandatory login
No telemetry
No tracking
No background service
No root requirement
Local execution
Transparent package definitions

The philosophy is simple:

«Your terminal should remain yours.»

Built for Multiple Architectures

Android devices are not all built the same way.

Termux users can run on different CPU architectures, including:

aarch64
arm
x86_64
i686

Package distribution therefore needs to account for architecture differences.

The binary installation engine can select the appropriate package and verify its SHA256 value for the target architecture.

This makes pre-built package distribution much more practical for Android devices.

Open Source and Community Driven

Termux App Store is released under the MIT License.

The project is intentionally community-oriented.

Contributions can include:

• new packages
• bug fixes
• documentation
• translations
• package reviews
• security reviews
• build improvements
• UI improvements
• testing

A package contributor does not necessarily need to modify the entire package manager.

They can focus on creating a good package definition.

That lowers the barrier for developers who simply want to make their own CLI tool available to Termux users.

The Philosophy

The project can be summarized in one sentence:

«Local first. Control over convenience. Transparency over magic.»

I believe package managers should make software easier to install without hiding what happens underneath.

Convenience is important.

But users should still be able to inspect:

Where did this package come from?
What is being installed?
What source does it use?
What build script is responsible?
Was the binary verified?
Can I build it myself?

Those questions are especially important on a platform like Android where Termux gives users a surprisingly powerful Linux-like environment.

What Comes Next?

There are several directions that can make the ecosystem more useful.

Better package discovery

A searchable package index can help users discover tools before installing them.

Individual package pages

Every package could have its own documentation page containing:

Description
Version
Architecture
Dependencies
Source
License
Install command
Build information

Package requests

Users should be able to request packages they want to see added.

Better developer tooling

“termux-build” can continue evolving into a stronger package creation and validation toolkit.

Better package review

As the ecosystem grows, validation and security review become increasingly important.

More community packages

The ecosystem becomes more useful as developers contribute useful Termux-compatible software.

Conclusion

Termux has evolved from a simple terminal emulator into a powerful Android development environment.

But a powerful environment also needs a healthy software ecosystem.

The official Termux repositories provide the foundation.

Community repositories extend that foundation.

Projects like Termux App Store explore another layer:

«A community-driven package manager and package ecosystem specifically for Termux users and developers.»

The goal is not to replace the official Termux project.

The goal is to make community software easier to:

discover → inspect → build → install → update → share.

If you build command-line tools for Android or Termux, consider packaging them.

If you use Termux and cannot find the tool you need, consider requesting or contributing a package.

And if you are interested in building a community package ecosystem for Android, the project is open for contributions.

Try Termux App Store

Install from PyPI:

pkg install python
pip install termux-app-store

Run:

termux-app-store

or:

tas

Search for packages:

termux-app-store search

Install a package:

termux-app-store install

Links

GitHub:
https://github.com/djunekz/termux-app-store

PyPI:
https://pypi.org/project/termux-app-store/

Website:
https://termux-app-store.pages.dev/

Documentation:
https://github.com/djunekz/termux-app-store

Keywords

Termux App Store, Termux package manager, Termux packages, Termux community packages, Termux package repository, Termux custom packages, Termux Android packages, Termux CLI tools, Termux “.deb” packages, Termux source build, Android terminal, Termux package management, Termux developer tools, community package manager, AUR for Termux.

«Termux App Store — Built for everyone, by the community.»