Armbian Configuration Utility

Updated: Tue Sep 10 08:13:32 PM CDT 2024

Utility for configuring your board, adjusting services, and installing applications. It comes with Armbian by default.

To start the Armbian configuration utility, use the following command:

sudo armbian-config

• System

  • S01 - Enable Armbian kernel/firmware upgrades
  • S02 - Disable Armbian kernel upgrades
  • S03 - Edit the boot environment
  • S04 - Install Linux headers
  • S05 - Remove Linux headers
  • S06 - Install to internal storage
  • S07 - Manage SSH login options
  • S08 - Change shell system wide to BASH
  • S09 - Change shell system wide to ZSH
  • S10 - Switch to rolling release
  • S11 - Switch to stable release

• Network

  • N01 - Configure network interfaces
  • N13 - Install Bluetooth support
  • N14 - Remove Bluetooth support
  • N15 - Bluetooth Discover
  • N16 - Toggle system IPv6/IPv4 internet protocol
  • N17 - Announce system in the network (Avahi)
  • N18 - Disable system announce in the network (Avahi)

• Localisation

  • L00 - Change Global timezone (WIP)
  • L01 - Change Locales reconfigure the language and character set
  • L02 - Change Keyboard layout
  • L03 - Change APT mirrors

• Software

  • I00 - Update Application Repository
  • I01 - System benchmaking and diagnostics

• Help

  • H00 - About This system. (WIP)
  • H02 - List of Config function(WIP)

Install

Armbian installation

sudo apt install armbian-config

3rd party Debian based distributions

{
    sudo wget https://apt.armbian.com/armbian.key -O key
    sudo gpg --dearmor < key | sudo tee /usr/share/keyrings/armbian.gpg > /dev/null
    sudo chmod go+r /usr/share/keyrings/armbian.gpg
    sudo echo "deb [arch=$(dpkg --print-architecture) signed-by=/usr/share/keyrings/armbian.gpg] http://apt.armbian.com $(lsb_release -cs) main  $(lsb_release -cs)-utils  $(lsb_release -cs)-desktop" | sudo tee /etc/apt/sources.list.d/armbian.list
    sudo apt update
    sudo apt install armbian-config
}

---

CLI options

Command line options.

Use:

armbian-config --help

Outputs:

Usage:  armbian-configng [option] [arguments]

    --help [catagory]  -  Display this help message.
        Use [catagory] to filter specific menu options.

System - System wide and admin settings
    --cmd S01 - Enable Armbian kernel/firmware upgrades
    --cmd S02 - Disable Armbian kernel upgrades
    --cmd S03 - Edit the boot environment
    --cmd S04 - Install Linux headers
    --cmd S05 - Remove Linux headers
    --cmd S06 - Install to internal storage
    --cmd S07 - Manage SSH login options
    --cmd SS01 - Disable root login
    --cmd SS02 - Enable root login
    --cmd SS03 - Disable password login
    --cmd SS04 - Enable password login
    --cmd SS05 - Disable Public key authentication login
    --cmd SS06 - Enable Public key authentication login
    --cmd SS07 - Disable OTP authentication
    --cmd SS08 - Enable OTP authentication
    --cmd SS09 - Generate new OTP authentication QR code
    --cmd SS10 - Show OTP authentication QR code
    --cmd S08 - Change shell system wide to BASH
    --cmd S09 - Change shell system wide to ZSH
    --cmd S10 - Switch to rolling release
    --cmd S11 - Switch to stable release

Network - Fixed and wireless network settings
    --cmd N01 - Configure network interfaces
    --cmd N02 - Wired
    --cmd N06 - Show configuration
    --cmd N07 - Enable DHCP on all interfaces
    --cmd N08 - Set fixed IP address
    --cmd N09 - Disable IPV6
    --cmd N10 - Enable IPV6
    --cmd N11 - Disable wired networking
    --cmd N03 - Wireless
    --cmd N25 - Show configuration
    --cmd N26 - Disable wireless networking
    --cmd N27 - Disable IPV6
    --cmd N28 - Enable IPV6
    --cmd N29 - Enable DHCP on wireless network interface
    --cmd N04 - Show common configs
    --cmd N05 - Apply common configs
    --cmd N13 - Install Bluetooth support
    --cmd N14 - Remove Bluetooth support
    --cmd N15 - Bluetooth Discover
    --cmd N16 - Toggle system IPv6/IPv4 internet protocol
    --cmd N17 - Announce system in the network (Avahi)
    --cmd N18 - Disable system announce in the network (Avahi)

Localisation - Localisation
    --cmd L00 - Change Global timezone (WIP)
    --cmd L01 - Change Locales reconfigure the language and character set
    --cmd L02 - Change Keyboard layout
    --cmd L03 - Change APT mirrors

Software - Run/Install 3rd party applications
    --cmd I00 - Update Application Repository
    --cmd I01 - System benchmaking and diagnostics

Help - About this app
    --cmd H00 - About This system. (WIP)
    --cmd H02 - List of Config function(WIP)

Legacy options

Backward Compatible options.

Use:

armbian-config main=Help

Outputs:

Legacy Options (Backward Compatible)
Please use 'armbian-config --help' for more information.

Usage:  armbian-configng main=[arguments] selection=[options]

    armbian-configng main=System selection=Headers          -  Install headers:                                        
    armbian-configng main=System selection=Headers_remove   -  Remove headers:                                 

---

Development

Development is divided into three sections:

Click for more info:

Jobs / JSON Object

A list of the jobs defined in the Jobs file.

S01

Enable Armbian kernel/firmware upgrades

Jobs:

armbian_fw_manipulate unhold

S02

Disable Armbian kernel upgrades

Jobs:

armbian_fw_manipulate hold

S03

Edit the boot environment

Jobs:

nano /boot/armbianEnv.txt

S04

Install Linux headers

Jobs:

Headers_install

S05

Remove Linux headers

Jobs:

Headers_remove

S06

Install to internal storage

Jobs:

armbian-install

S07

Manage SSH login options

Jobs:

No commands available

S08

Change shell system wide to BASH

Jobs:

export BASHLOCATION=$(grep /bash$ /etc/shells | tail -1)
sed -i "s|^SHELL=.*|SHELL=${BASHLOCATION}|" /etc/default/useradd
sed -i "s|^DSHELL=.*|DSHELL=${BASHLOCATION}|" /etc/adduser.conf
debconf-apt-progress -- apt-get -y purge armbian-zsh
update_skel
awk -F'[/:]' '{if ($3 >= 1000 && $3 != 65534 || $3 == 0) print $1}' /etc/passwd | xargs -L1 chsh -s $(grep /bash$ /etc/shells | tail -1)

S09

Change shell system wide to ZSH

Jobs:

export ZSHLOCATION=$(grep /zsh$ /etc/shells | tail -1)
sed -i "s|^SHELL=.*|SHELL=${ZSHLOCATION}|" /etc/default/useradd
sed -i "s|^DSHELL=.*|DSHELL=${ZSHLOCATION}|" /etc/adduser.conf
debconf-apt-progress -- apt-get -y install armbian-zsh
update_skel
awk -F'[/:]' '{if ($3 >= 1000 && $3 != 65534 || $3 == 0) print $1}' /etc/passwd | xargs -L1 chsh -s $(grep /zsh$ /etc/shells | tail -1)

S10

Switch to rolling release

Jobs:

set_rolling

S11

Switch to stable release

Jobs:

set_stable

N01

Configure network interfaces

Jobs:

No commands available

N13

Install Bluetooth support

Jobs:

see_current_apt 
debconf-apt-progress -- apt-get -y install bluetooth bluez bluez-tools
check_if_installed xserver-xorg && debconf-apt-progress -- apt-get -y --no-install-recommends install pulseaudio-module-bluetooth blueman

N14

Remove Bluetooth support

Jobs:

see_current_apt 
debconf-apt-progress -- apt-get -y remove bluetooth bluez bluez-tools
check_if_installed xserver-xorg && debconf-apt-progress -- apt-get -y remove pulseaudio-module-bluetooth blueman
debconf-apt-progress -- apt -y -qq autoremove

N15

Bluetooth Discover

Jobs:

connect_bt_interface

N16

Toggle system IPv6/IPv4 internet protocol

Jobs:

toggle_ipv6 | show_infobox

N17

Announce system in the network (Avahi)

Jobs:

check_if_installed avahi-daemon
debconf-apt-progress -- apt-get -y install avahi-daemon libnss-mdns
cp /usr/share/doc/avahi-daemon/examples/sftp-ssh.service /etc/avahi/services/
cp /usr/share/doc/avahi-daemon/examples/ssh.service /etc/avahi/services/
service avahi-daemon restart

N18

Disable system announce in the network (Avahi)

Jobs:

check_if_installed avahi-daemon
systemctl stop avahi-daemon avahi-daemon.socket
debconf-apt-progress -- apt-get -y purge avahi-daemon

L00

Change Global timezone (WIP)

Jobs:

dpkg-reconfigure tzdata

L01

Change Locales reconfigure the language and character set

Jobs:

dpkg-reconfigure locales
source /etc/default/locale ; sed -i "s/^LANGUAGE=.*/LANGUAGE=$LANG/" /etc/default/locale
export LANGUAGE=$LANG

L02

Change Keyboard layout

Jobs:

dpkg-reconfigure keyboard-configuration ; setupcon 
update-initramfs -u

L03

Change APT mirrors

Jobs:

get_user_continue "This is only a frontend test" process_input

I00

Update Application Repository

Jobs:

debconf-apt-progress -- apt update

I01

System benchmaking and diagnostics

Jobs:

see_monitoring

H00

About This system. (WIP)

Jobs:

show_message <<< "This app is to help execute procedures to configure your system

Some options may not work on manually modified systems"

H02

List of Config function(WIP)

Jobs:

show_message <<< see_use

Jobs API / Helper Functions

These helper functions facilitate various operations related to job management, such as creation, updating, deletion, and listing of jobs, acting as a practical API for developers.

Description	Example	Credit
Wrapping Netplan commands	netplan_wrapper	Igor Pecovnik
Generate a Help message legacy cli commands.	see_cli_legacy	Joey Turner
Run time variables Migrated procedures from Armbian config.	set_runtime_variables	Igor Pecovnik
Set Armbian to rolling release	set_rolling	Tearran
Generate this markdown table of all module_options	see_function_table_md	Joey Turner
Display a menu from pipe	show_menu <<< armbianmonitor -h ;	Joey Turner
Build the main menu from a object	generate_top_menu 'json_data'	Joey Turner
Migrated procedures from Armbian config.	is_package_manager_running	Igor Pecovnik
Migrated procedures from Armbian config.	check_desktop	Igor Pecovnik
Generate Document files.	generate_readme	Joey Turner
Needed by generate_menu		Joey Turner
Display a Yes/No dialog box and process continue/exit	get_user_continue 'Do you wish to continue?' process_input	Joey Turner
Display a message box	show_message <<< 'hello world'	Joey Turner
Migrated procedures from Armbian config.	connect_bt_interface	Igor Pecovnik
Menu for armbianmonitor features	see_monitoring	Joey Turner
Show or generate QR code for Google OTP	qr_code generate	Igor Pecovnik
Check if kernel headers are installed	are_headers_installed	Gunjan Gupta
Check when apt list was last updated	see_current_apt	Joey Turner
Migrated procedures from Armbian config.	check_if_installed nano	Igor Pecovnik
Generate 'Armbian CPU logo' SVG for document file.	generate_svg	Joey Turner
Remove Linux headers	Headers_remove	Joey Turner
Displays available adapters	choose_adapter	Igor Pecovnik
Update submenu descriptions based on conditions	update_submenu_data	Joey Turner
sanitize input cli	sanitize_input
Check if a domain is reachable via IPv4 and IPv6	check_ip_version google.com	Joey Turner
Migrated procedures from Armbian config.	set_header_remove	Igor Pecovnik
Generate a submenu from a parent_id	generate_menu 'parent_id'	Joey Turner
Generate a markdown list json objects using jq.	see_jq_menu_list	Joey Turner
Generate jobs from JSON file.	generate_jobs_from_json	Joey Turner
Install kernel headers	is_package_manager_running	Joey Turner
Set up a WiFi hotspot on the device	hotspot_setup	Joey Turner
Toggle IPv6 on or off	toggle_ipv6	Joey Turner
Generate JSON-like object file.	generate_json	Joey Turner
Change the background color of the terminal or dialog box	set_colors 0-7	Joey Turner
Serve the edit and debug server.	serve_doc	Joey Turner
Update JSON data with system information	update_json_data	Joey Turner
pipeline strings to an infobox	show_infobox <<< 'hello world' ;	Joey Turner
Parse json to get list of desired menu or submenu items	parse_menu_items 'menu_options_array'	Gunjan Gupta
Show the usage of the functions.	see_use	Joey Turner
List and connect to wireless network	wifi_connect	Igor Pecovnik
Generate a Help message for cli commands.	see_cmd_list [catagory]	Joey Turner
freeze/unhold/reinstall armbian related packages.	armbian_fw_manipulate unhold	freeze
Check the internet connection with fallback DNS	see_ping	Joey Turner
Update the /etc/skel files in users directories	update_skel	Igor Pecovnik
Set Armbian to stable release	set_stable	Tearran
Secure version of get_user_continue	get_user_continue_secure 'Do you wish to continue?' process_input	Joey Turner

Runtime / Board Statuses

(WIP)

This section outlines the runtime environment to check configurations and statuses for dynamically managing jobs based on JSON data.

(WIP)

Testing and contributing

Get Development

Install the dependencies:

sudo apt install git jq whiptail

Get Development and contribute:

{
    git clone https://github.com/armbian/configng
    cd configng
    ./armbian-configng --help
}

Install and test Development deb:

{
    sudo apt install whiptail
    latest_release=$(curl -s https://api.github.com/repos/armbian/configng/releases/latest)
    deb_url=$(echo "$latest_release" | jq -r '.assets[] | select(.name | endswith(".deb")) | .browser_download_url')
    curl -LO "$deb_url"
    deb_file=$(echo "$deb_url" | awk -F"/" '{print $NF}')
    sudo dpkg -i "$deb_file"
    sudo dpkg --configure -a
    sudo apt --fix-broken install
}