Stephano Kambeta

Posted on Oct 1

Build a Mini Blog (Static) Served via Termux

#termux #tutorial #terminal #nginx

Want a tiny, fast blog you can run from your Android phone? Good. This guide walks you through building a simple static blog and serving it from Termux. No heavy tools, no cloud fees, and enough control to learn how web servers work. I keep things plain and practical so you can finish the project and actually use it.

Why host a static blog on Termux?

Static sites are simple, fast, and secure. Files are just HTML, CSS, and images. No database, no server-side scripts, and no complicated hosting setup. Running a static site in Termux is perfect for experiments, local demos, and teaching yourself web basics. It also gives you a platform to test network ideas safely and learn about security. If you want a deeper look at hosting with nginx in Termux, check this guide on turning your Android into a web server. If you care about privacy when exposing your device, read the VPN posts for tips on safe remote access.

Quick benefits:

Tiny resource use
Easy to back up
Great for learning
Works offline or on local Wi Fi

Prerequisites

Before we start, make sure you have:

Termux installed. If you need help, see the Termux install guide.
Basic comfort with the terminal and a text editor like nano or vim.
A spare folder for your site files.

Overview of the approach

We will:

Create a simple static site folder with HTML pages.
Serve it locally using Python's built in HTTP server for quick testing.
Show how to run a persistent server with nginx if you want a proper background service.
Cover simple security and networking notes so you do not accidentally expose sensitive stuff.

Step 1 — Prepare Termux

Open Termux and update packages first.

pkg update && pkg upgrade -y
pkg install git python nano curl

If you plan to use nginx for production style serving, install it later in the nginx section. For now, Python gives you a one line web server that is perfect for development.

Step 2 — Make your site folder

Create a folder for your blog and add a basic index.html file.

mkdir -p ~/mini-blog
cd ~/mini-blog
cat > index.html <<'HTML'




My Mini Blog


body{font-family:system-ui,Segoe UI,Roboto,Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif;max-width:880px;margin:2rem auto;padding:0 1rem}
header{margin-bottom:1.5rem}
article{margin-bottom:2rem}
footer{color:#666;font-size:.9rem;margin-top:2rem}





My Mini Blog
Short posts, quick experiments, and notes from my Termux projects.



Welcome
This is a simple static site served from Termux. Edit the files in ~/mini-blog and refresh the page to see changes.



Powered by Termux



HTML

Now you have a working index.html. Add images in an images folder and more pages as needed.

Step 3 — Serve the site quickly with Python

For quick testing on your phone or local network use Python's http.server. From the site folder run:

cd ~/mini-blog
python -m http.server 8000

Open your phone browser and go to http://localhost:8000. From other devices on the same Wi Fi use your phone IP like http://192.168.1.12:8000. To find your phone IP run ip addr show or check Wi Fi details.

If you want the server to keep running after you close Termux, consider using termux-wake-lock and a job manager like Termux:Boot or Termux:Tasker. Be careful about exposing your device. Read the network security tips if you plan to open ports to others.

Step 4 — Serve a proper static site with nginx

Python is fine for development. If you want a persistent, production style static server on the device, nginx is the right tool. There is a guide that shows how to install and use nginx in Termux which will walk you through configuration. The main steps look like this:

pkg install nginx
mkdir -p ~/mini-blog
# edit nginx config to point root to ~/mini-blog
nginx -c $PREFIX/etc/nginx/nginx.conf
# to stop:
nginx -s stop

Use the nginx guide to set the document root and change the default port if port 80 is restricted. Running nginx gives better headers, gzip options, and more predictable behavior than the python server.

Step 5 — Keep content simple and evergreen

Static sites are best when content is evergreen. Avoid hard coded dates in the page titles and keep posts focused on how to do things, not on transient events. This makes your mini blog useful for future readers and easy to maintain.

Adding posts fast

Want to add new posts quickly? Make a template file like post-template.html and copy it for each new article. Keep a simple structure: header, content, footer. Example:

cp post-template.html posts/2025-10-new-post.html
# edit the file in nano or vim
nano posts/2025-10-new-post.html

Note: if you prefer not to put years in posts, use slug names like posts/my-first-termux-project.html.

Workflows and quick projects

If you like small Termux projects, you might enjoy a list of quick Termux projects to practice with. Those kinds of projects help you build confidence and content for your mini blog. See the quick Termux projects post for ideas.

Backup and sync

Back up your mini blog to GitHub or to cloud storage. A simple Git workflow helps you keep versions and push updates from your phone.

pkg install git
cd ~/mini-blog
git init
git add .
git commit -m "initial mini blog"
# add remote and push
git remote add origin git@github.com:yourname/mini-blog.git
git push -u origin master

If you do not want to use GitHub, compress the site folder and copy the archive to your computer or cloud drive periodically.

Security and privacy notes

Serving files from your phone can be safe if you follow basic rules:

Do not place private files inside your document root.
Restrict access to the local network unless you use a secure tunnel.
Use a VPN when connecting remotely. See the Surfshark VPN review and the VPNs to use when using Termux for options and setup tips.
Keep Termux and packages updated. Software updates often fix security issues.

If you plan to expose services or test network tools, read the network security tips and build a small cybersecurity plan. If you are learning about attacks and defense, read responsible posts about incident response and threat intelligence so your experiments stay ethical and safe.

Make it useful: link to your Termux projects

Your mini blog is a great place to document Termux work. Link to your other guides, like the nginx install in Termux, netcat examples, or simple tools you built. If you have guides about phishing tools or offensive tools, be careful to frame posts as education and defense. For example, posts on cyber incident response, computer security, and how to identify phishing are good companion content that show readers the defensive side of the work.

Deploy tips and options

Three deployment options to consider:

Local only Use Python or nginx and keep the site available on your local Wi Fi. Great for demos and learning.
Tunneled access Use ngrok or a secure tunnel to expose the site temporarily. This avoids poking holes in your router. See the ngrok in Termux guide for setup.
Host the files elsewhere Use GitHub Pages or a cheap static host for public, permanent hosting. Use Termux only to generate and push the content.

Useful command snippets

# Serve site on port 8000 with Python
cd ~/mini-blog
python -m http.server 8000

# Create a new post from template
mkdir -p posts
cp post-template.html posts/my-first-post.html
nano posts/my-first-post.html

# Sync to Git
git add .
git commit -m "Add post"
git push

Troubleshooting

Problems you may see:

Server not reachable Check that Termux has network permission and that your firewall allows the port. Confirm your phone IP on Wi Fi.
Changes not showing Clear your browser cache or open the page in an incognito tab. If using nginx, reload the service after changes.
Process stops Keep Termux awake with termux-wake-lock or run the server under a background job manager. Use Termux:Boot to restart services after reboot.

Final notes

Building a mini static blog in Termux is an excellent learning project. Keep posts simple, document what you do step by step, and link back to useful guides. If your blog covers security topics, focus on defensive practices and responsible disclosure. Use a VPN when exposing services, and keep private data off the web root. If you want, I can draft a post template for your mini blog with the site layout and a ready to use first article written in your tone.

Happy building. Keep it simple and secure.

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