Termux is an Android terminal emulator and Linux environment app that allows users to install Linux packages on Android devices and access a terminal from their phones or tablets. As of January 2023, Termux has over 10 million installs from the Google Play Store and offers access to over 400 Linux packages. It has become popular among developers and tech enthusiasts for providing a lightweight Linux development environment on mobile.

According to Termux developer Fredrik Fornwall, "Termux combines powerful terminal emulation with an extensive Linux package collection, allowing users to apt install tools like nmap, git, python, clang, irssi and more." The app offers command-line access to many popular open source tools that Unix/Linux developers are accustomed to using on PCs and servers.

This article outlines 10 of the best open source Termux tools that can be installed on Termux to unlock powerful capabilities from an Android device. The picks are based on usage popularity, developer recommendations and niche usefulness.

1. Nmap - Popular network scanner used for port scanning networks, OS fingerprinting, service enumeration and more. Allows mobile network analysis.
2. Git - Fast distributed version control system. Install git in Termux to maintain source code repositories from your phone.
3. Python - General purpose scripting language used for automation, web scraping, machine learning and scientific computing.
4. Clang - C/C++ compiler that allows compiling C/C++ programs within Termux.
5. Irssi - Modular chat client useful for interacting with IRC chat networks.
6. Curl/Wget - Command line tools to transfer data and download files using URL syntax. Useful in scripts.
7. NetHunter - Turns Android device into a penetration testing platform with many hacking tools. Developed by Kali Linux creators.
8. Termux:API app - Adds sensor access, device notifications and more capabilities for Termux app scripts.
9. Termux:Boot app - Allows scripts to execute on Android boot, effectively making Termux act as an init daemon.
10. Termux:Widget app - Adds homescreen widgets for launching Termux shortcuts and scripts.

Related Article - Termux Commands List.

While many Linux developers still prefer workstations or cloud servers, Termux brings a lightweight Linux environment to mobile. The app offers the flexibility to install most GNU/Linux tools on Android using just the terminal and apt package manager. The community around Termux continues releasing plugins that increase capabilities.