GitHub Packages count (Packages¹) not showing in repository header

[mscairlinestickets]

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I have a public repository with a published Docker image hosted on GitHub Container Registry (ghcr.io), and the package is correctly linked to the repository.

Repository: https://github.com/mscairlinestickets/ticket-service
Package: https://github.com/mscairlinestickets/ticket-service/pkgs/container/ticket-service

• The repository is public
• The package is public
• The package is linked to the correct repository
• The image was pushed more than 12 hours ago
• Everything appears correctly on the package page

However, the repository UI does not show the “Packages¹” count in the top navigation bar (Code | Issues | Pull requests | Actions | Projects | Packages).

Could you please verify if there's an indexing delay or if any extra step is required to have the package count appear?

Thank you in advance for your support!

https://github.com/mscairlinestickets?tab=packages

[erickknsilva]

I want to know too

[Shivam-Joshi-1803]

I want to know too

Solutions and Workarounds

1. Push an Image with a Proper Repository Link
   Make sure your Docker image is explicitly linked to the repository using a properly formatted image name during the push.

Use this format when tagging and pushing:

docker tag ticket-service ghcr.io/mscairlinestickets/ticket-service:latest
docker push ghcr.io/mscairlinestickets/ticket-service:latest

Also ensure that your image has metadata associating it with the repo. If you used GitHub Actions, your workflow should include:

env:
IMAGE_NAME: ghcr.io/${{ github.repository }}

2. Re-link the Package (Manual Option)
   Go to your package page:
   https://github.com/mscairlinestickets/ticket-service/pkgs/container/ticket-service

On the right side, check the “Linked repositories” section.

If it's not correctly linked, use “Edit package” → “Manage linked repositories” and link it manually.

3. Add a package.json or Dockerfile Reference
   In some cases, GitHub identifies packages more consistently if the repository contains:

A Dockerfile

Or relevant metadata files (package.json, .github/workflows referencing ghcr.io, etc.)

This is more of a heuristic improvement than a requirement.

4. Wait for GitHub Indexing (up to 24–48 hours)
   GitHub does not always instantly reflect changes in the UI, especially for new package associations. It can take up to 24–48 hours for the “Packages” tab to show up in the repository header.

[Josuealves52306]

I also want to know, I always go through this

[DiwakarSingh16]

1.Add the source label (if not already)
In your Dockerfile, ensure this label is present:
LABEL org.opencontainers.image.source="https://github.com/mscairlinestickets/ticket-service"
This helps GitHub cross-link the image to the repo.

2.Let GitHub index it
Once pushed and made public, the UI sometimes takes a bit to update. Several community reports note that the "Packages" count doesn't show immediately after pushing or linking, especially for container images hosted on GHCR. The count typically appears once someone has pulled the image or enough time has passed .

3.Trigger a pull (optional)
If it hasn't been pulled yet, you could:
docker pull ghcr.io/mscairlinestickets/ticket-service:latest
Or ask a colleague to pull it. That often finishes off the indexing on the backend.

[erickknsilva]

but I'm using paketo buildpacks, I generate the image in CI/CD in the commit-stage.yml file with ./gradlew bootBuildImage, could the problem be just time to synchronize or would there be another solution?

[DiwakarSingh16]

1. GitHub UI Caching/Indexing Delay
   GitHub has been known to take up to 24–48 hours to update some UI elements — especially for new packages or recent updates. If you pushed this package within the last 24 hours, it's likely just not yet reflected in the repo UI header.

Action: Wait up to 48 hours and see if it appears. Often, nothing else is required.

2. Package Metadata Mismatch
   When using Paketo via ./gradlew bootBuildImage, it may not embed sufficient metadata in the image (like the repository link) that GitHub uses to formally connect the package with the repository UI.

Action: Ensure your bootBuildImage task uses a name in the correct format and includes labels if needed.
bootBuildImage {
imageName = "ghcr.io/mscairlinestickets/ticket-service"
}

You can also try adding an explicit label:
bootBuildImage {
imageName = "ghcr.io/mscairlinestickets/ticket-service"
docker {
publishRegistry {
username = project.findProperty("GITHUB_USERNAME") ?: System.getenv("GITHUB_USERNAME")
password = project.findProperty("GITHUB_TOKEN") ?: System.getenv("GITHUB_TOKEN")
}
}
environment = [
"BP_IMAGE_LABELS" : "org.opencontainers.image.source=https://github.com/mscairlinestickets/ticket-service"
]
}

This label (org.opencontainers.image.source) is used by GitHub to link the image to the repository properly in some cases.

3. Bug or Missing Refresh
   Sometimes GitHub’s UI has minor issues — particularly with new container packages — where it does not immediately reflect the "Packages" count in the header.

Action: You can open a GitHub Community Discussion or GitHub Support ticket if the issue persists beyond 48 hours.

[Shivam-Joshi-1803]

Solutions and Workarounds

1. Push an Image with a Proper Repository Link
   Make sure your Docker image is explicitly linked to the repository using a properly formatted image name during the push.

Use this format when tagging and pushing:

docker tag ticket-service ghcr.io/mscairlinestickets/ticket-service:latest
docker push ghcr.io/mscairlinestickets/ticket-service:latest

Also ensure that your image has metadata associating it with the repo. If you used GitHub Actions, your workflow should include:

env:
IMAGE_NAME: ghcr.io/${{ github.repository }}

2. Re-link the Package (Manual Option)
   Go to your package page:
   https://github.com/mscairlinestickets/ticket-service/pkgs/container/ticket-service

On the right side, check the “Linked repositories” section.

If it's not correctly linked, use “Edit package” → “Manage linked repositories” and link it manually.

3. Add a package.json or Dockerfile Reference
   In some cases, GitHub identifies packages more consistently if the repository contains:

A Dockerfile

Or relevant metadata files (package.json, .github/workflows referencing ghcr.io, etc.)

This is more of a heuristic improvement than a requirement.

4. Wait for GitHub Indexing (up to 24–48 hours)
   GitHub does not always instantly reflect changes in the UI, especially for new package associations. It can take up to 24–48 hours for the “Packages” tab to show up in the repository header.

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