git-annex is available for Android inside Termux. This includes the 
[[git-annex assistant|/assistant]], for easy syncing between your Android
and other devices. You do not need to root your Android to use git-annex.

[[!toc ]]

## Installation

First, install [Termux](https://termux.com/). This is an Android app that can
run some Linux software in a terminal, including git-annex.

git-annex is not currently part of the Termux distribution, but it's easy
to install it. Paste these commands into Termux:

	pkg install wget
	wget https://git-annex.branchable.com/install/Android/git-annex-install
	sh git-annex-install

## Starting git-annex

To start git-annex, just run "git annex webapp" inside Termux.
A browser window will open with the git-annex interface.

[[!img webapp.png alt="git-annex webapp"]]

## Closing and reopening the webapp

The webapp does not need to be left open after you've set up your
repository. As long as Termux is left open, git-annex will
remain running and sync your files.

## Starting at power on

If you install the [Termux:Boot app](https://wiki.termux.com/wiki/Termux:Boot),
git-annex will automatically be automatically started when your Android device
powers on. It will run in the background in whatever repositories you have
set up in the webapp.  
(Or have listed in (or listed in ~/.config/git-annex/autostart)

## Using the command line

If you prefer to use `git-annex` at the command line, you can do so inside
Termux. Here we'll make a repository for photos:

        cd ~/storage/dcim
        git init
        git annex init

You can go on to set up a ssh remote pointing to a server, and sync
your files to and from it.

And so on. Most ways you would use git-annex on a Linux system work fairly
well in the Termux environment.

## Known limitations

* Direct mode

  git-annex will probably default to direct mode due to the
  limitations of Android's /sdcard. You can get around this using v6
  unlocked repositories, or by putting the git-annex repository on a better
  filesystem on the Android device, such as your termux home directory.

## Upgrading

To upgrade to a new git-annex release, just run `git-annex-install` again.