Schedule Scripts in Termux With termux-job-scheduler

Android isn’t a desktop cron host. The Termux wiki’s supported, Tasker-free path is termux-job-scheduler from Termux:API: it hooks Android’s JobScheduler so scripts can run periodically with battery/network constraints. Classic crond exists in some packages but fights Doze—prefer the API for reliability.

What You Need

API add-on → script → schedule

1. 01

   Step 1: Install Termux:API (app + package)

   In F-Droid, install Termux:API. Then in Termux:

   pkg update
   pkg install termux-api
   termux-job-scheduler --help | head

   Wiki lists termux-job-scheduler among Termux:API commands: schedule a script later or periodically.

2. 02

   Step 2: Write a tiny test script

   mkdir -p ~/scripts
   cat > ~/scripts/heartbeat.sh << 'EOF'
   #!/data/data/com.termux/files/usr/bin/bash
   echo "$(date -Iseconds) heartbeat" >> ~/heartbeat.log
   EOF
   chmod +x ~/scripts/heartbeat.sh
   ~/scripts/heartbeat.sh
   cat ~/heartbeat.log

   Run it once by hand before scheduling so failures aren’t “invisible.”

3. 03

   Step 3: Schedule with termux-job-scheduler

   On Android N+, the minimum period is 900000 ms (15 minutes). Example: every 15 minutes, prefer unmetered Wi‑Fi, survive reboot:

   termux-job-scheduler \
     --job-id 1 \
     --script ~/scripts/heartbeat.sh \
     --period-ms 900000 \
     --network unmetered \
     --persisted true

   Other useful flags (from the tool’s help): --charging, --battery-not-low, --storage-not-low. Timing is approximate—Android batches jobs for battery.

4. 04

   Step 4: List pending jobs

   termux-job-scheduler --pending

   After a while, check cat ~/heartbeat.log for new lines. If nothing appears: confirm Termux:API is installed from F-Droid, battery optimization isn’t killing Termux immediately, and the period isn’t below 15 minutes.

5. 05

   Step 5: Cancel when done

   termux-job-scheduler --cancel --job-id 1
   # or
   termux-job-scheduler --cancel-all