Termux Automation

Termux Automation

Trigger on shell-flavoured requests that no first-class tool can answer: "git status", "run python on …", "list files in …", "ffmpeg convert …", "adb tap 500 800", "what's in ~/projects", "run the build script", "uname -a", etc. Japanese equivalents: "シェルで…", "ターミナルで…", "gitの状態", "ffmpegかけて".

Do NOT use this skill for tasks a first-class tool already handles. Before reaching for termux_shell_exec, confirm none of these fit:

• Smart-home device control → device_* tools
• Files on the tablet storage (Downloads, Pictures) → list_recent_* tools
• Calendar, notifications, timers → *_calendar_events / list_notifications / set_timer
• Web search → web_search + fetch_webpage
• Any math / unit conversion / currency → calculator / unit_converter / currency

Capability check

Before the user issues a shell request, the termux_shell_exec tool either appears in your tool list or it doesn't. Three gates must all be open:

1. Termux installed from F-Droid on this device
2. com.termux.permission.RUN_COMMAND granted to OpenDash
3. The user flipped Settings → Advanced → Termux shell access on

If the tool isn't in your list and the user asks for a shell command, say: "Shell access isn't enabled. You can turn it on in Settings → Advanced → Termux shell access." Do not try to synthesize ls output from memory.

Tool schema

termux_shell_exec(
  command: string,        // absolute binary path, required
  arguments?: string[],   // optional
  working_dir?: string,   // optional cwd
  timeout_ms?: integer    // optional, default 30000
)

The assistant MUST pass absolute binary paths — /data/data/com.termux/files/usr/bin/git, not git. Termux's PATH is not the host PATH.

Default flow

1. Resolve intent → pick the binary (git, ls, python, ffmpeg, adb, …)
2. Build the absolute path (/data/data/com.termux/files/usr/bin/<binary>)
3. Call termux_shell_exec with command + arguments
4. Report a short spoken summary of the result (never dump raw stdout unless the user explicitly asked)

Examples

Example: "git status in my project folder"

termux_shell_exec(
  command = "/data/data/com.termux/files/usr/bin/git",
  arguments = ["status", "--short"],
  working_dir = "/storage/emulated/0/Documents/projects/opendash"
)

Response (spoken): "Three files changed, one untracked." — do not read the full git status wall of text.

Example: "what's in my Downloads"

Prefer list_recent_photos / list_recent_videos for media; for generic files:

termux_shell_exec(
  command = "/data/data/com.termux/files/usr/bin/ls",
  arguments = ["-lah"],
  working_dir = "/storage/emulated/0/Download"
)

Response (spoken): "Eighteen files, most recent is screenshot-2025-04-21.png."

Example: "tap the screen at 500 800" (ADB self-control)

Only works if the user ran adb tcpip 5555 once from a computer and adb connect localhost:5555 inside Termux. Otherwise the command exits with "no devices".

termux_shell_exec(
  command = "/data/data/com.termux/files/usr/bin/adb",
  arguments = ["shell", "input", "tap", "500", "800"]
)

Prefer tap_by_text (AccessibilityService) when the target is a labelled button — adb shell input is only a fallback for apps where a11y doesn't cooperate.

Safety

• Respect the allowlist. If the tool returns "Command X is not on the Termux allowlist", tell the user what's missing — do not try to work around it.
• Never run destructive commands without spelling them out in the spoken confirmation. If the user asks to delete something, say what you're about to run before calling the tool: "I'm about to run rm -rf ~/tmp. Say yes to continue." Wait for an affirmative.
• Don't read back secrets. If a command output contains tokens, keys, or passwords (.env, git config, ssh-add), summarize redacted: "Your git user.email is set — I won't read the value out loud."
• Non-zero exit codes are failures. A command that exits with exit=1 is an error; say "That didn't work — it returned exit code 1." Don't claim success.

Related skills

• home-control — smart-home devices (not shell)
• quick-note — voice notes (uses memory, not shell)
• task-manager — to-do items (uses memory, not shell)