GitHub Container Registry
By GitHub, Inc.
GitHub Container Registry (GHCR) is a container and OCI image registry integrated directly into GitHub, letting teams store and manage Docker and other OCI-compliant images alongside their source code and permissions.
Definition
GitHub Container Registry (GHCR) is a container and OCI image registry integrated directly into GitHub, letting teams store and manage Docker and other OCI-compliant images alongside their source code and permissions.
Overview
GitHub Container Registry lets developers push and pull container images using the `ghcr.io` hostname, with each image tied to a GitHub user, organization, or repository. Because it shares GitHub's existing permission model, access to a private image can be controlled through the same organization roles and repository access used for source code, and images can be linked to the repository whose workflow produced them for traceability. GHCR is commonly used together with GitHub Actions, where a workflow builds a Docker image and pushes it to `ghcr.io` as part of a CI/CD pipeline, avoiding the need to manage credentials for a separate registry like Docker Hub or Amazon ECR. It supports both public and private images, and — like other OCI registries — can also store other OCI artifact types beyond traditional container images.
Key Features
- Container and OCI image storage at the ghcr.io hostname
- Permissions inherited from GitHub organization and repository access
- Tight integration with GitHub Actions workflows
- Public and private image visibility settings
- Image-to-repository linking for build provenance
- Support for OCI artifacts beyond container images
Use Cases
Frequently Asked Questions
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