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GitHub Container Registry (GHCR) Authentication

This guide explains how to authenticate with GitHub Container Registry (ghcr.io) using Docker or Podman.

Prerequisites​

  • GitHub account with appropriate repository access
  • Docker or Podman installed on your system

Creating a Personal Access Token (PAT)​

  1. Navigate to GitHub Settings

  2. Generate New Token

    • Click "Generate new token" → "Generate new token (classic)"
    • Provide a descriptive note (e.g., "GHCR Access for Service Operator")
    • Set expiration date as needed

  3. Select Required Scopes For GHCR access, select at minimum:

    • read:packages - Download container images

  4. Generate and Save Token

    • Click "Generate token"
    • IMPORTANT: Copy the token immediately - you won't be able to see it again
    • Store it securely (password manager recommended)

Authentication​

Add to your inventory.yml​

For secure token storage in inventory files:

  1. Encrypt the token using Ansible Vault:

    ansible-vault encrypt_string 'ghp_YourToken' --name 'ghcr_pat' --ask-vault-password

    You'll be prompted to create a vault password. The command will output encrypted text.

  2. Add to inventory.yml:

    all:
      vars:
        iaas_console:
          ghcr_user: "your-github-username"
          ghcr_pat: !vault |
            $ANSIBLE_VAULT;1.1;AES256
            ... encrypted token ...

Docker/Podman Direct Login​

# Docker
echo "YOUR_GITHUB_TOKEN" | docker login ghcr.io -u YOUR_GITHUB_USERNAME --password-stdin

# Podman
echo "YOUR_GITHUB_TOKEN" | podman login ghcr.io -u YOUR_GITHUB_USERNAME --password-stdin

Verifying Authentication​

Test your authentication by pulling a public image:

# Docker
docker pull ghcr.io/midokura/gpu-infra-ansible:v0.1

# Podman
podman pull ghcr.io/midokura/gpu-infra-ansible:v0.1

Token Storage Location​

Credentials are stored in:

  • Docker: ~/.docker/config.json
  • Podman: ${XDG_RUNTIME_DIR}/containers/auth.json or ~/.config/containers/auth.json

Security Best Practices​

  1. Use Fine-Grained Tokens: Consider using fine-grained personal access tokens for better security control
  2. Set Expiration Dates: Don't create tokens that never expire
  3. Rotate Tokens: Regularly rotate your tokens
  4. Limit Scope: Only grant the minimum required permissions
  5. Secure Storage: Never commit tokens to version control
  6. Use Environment Variables: Store tokens in environment variables or secret management systems

Troubleshooting​

"unauthorized: authentication required" Error​

  • Verify token has correct scopes (read:packages at minimum)
  • Check token hasn't expired
  • Ensure correct username and token are used

"denied: permission denied" Error​

  • Verify you have access to the repository
  • Check if the package/image exists and is accessible
  • Confirm token has necessary permissions for the operation

Token Not Working After Creation​

  • Wait a few minutes - token activation can take time
  • Try logging out and logging back in
  • Verify you copied the entire token string

Logout​

When done or to clear credentials:

# Docker
docker logout ghcr.io

# Podman
podman logout ghcr.io

Additional Resources​