Using Watchtower with github packages

[sindreslungaard]

Githubs docker registry does not allow tagged images to be modified or deleted, thus preventing watchtower from finding new images. I know there's an API that can be enabled to let watchtower know when to update, but afaik it does not let me specify what image tag to look for.

What is the recommended way of using watchtower with githubs package registry?

[victorcmoura]

I don't quite understand why Watchtower wouldn't work with GitHub's Docker Registry. Could you make it more clear? What is your use case?

[sindreslungaard]

@victorcmoura It turns out that logging into the docker registry with my github username and password was the problem. This for some reason does not have the permissions required to overwrite images. I solved it by logging in to the registry with a personal token with delete rights on packages.

Works fine with Watchtower :)

[samru-rai]

I am still struggling with this. Maybe you can spot where I am making mistake?

1. I used my personal token to authenticate myself with docker using their instructions. This process created $HOME/.docker/config.json.
2. I provided this file to my docker-compose as

services:
  my-service:
   image: docker.pkg.github.com/OWNER/REPOSITORY/IMAGE_NAME:TAG
   ....
  watchtower:
    image: index.docker.io/containrrr/watchtower:latest
    volumes:
      - $HOME/.docker/config.json/:/config.json
      - /var/run/docker.sock:/var/run/docker.sock

3. When I run my docker-compose, everything runs without error but the latest build for my particular tag doesn't get pulled.

Can you help me with this issue?

[piksel]

Hm, something seems a bit off, the github PACKAGE registry uses:
docker.pkg.github.com/OWNER/REPOSITORY/IMAGE_NAME:TAG
and the github CONTAINER registry uses:
ghcr.io/OWNER/IMAGE-NAME

[simskij]

And with the packages registry, unfortunately, all bets are off.

[samru-rai]

Hm, something seems a bit off, the github PACKAGE registry uses:
docker.pkg.github.com/OWNER/REPOSITORY/IMAGE_NAME:TAG
and the github CONTAINER registry uses:
ghcr.io/OWNER/IMAGE-NAME

You are right. I had the format you mentioned but didn't write it correctly here.

I fixed it by using labels as shown below. It is now pulling the latest image.

version: '3.7'
services:
  my-service:
    image: docker.pkg.github.com/OWNER/REPOSITORY/IMAGE_NAME:TAG
    ...
    labels:
      - "com.centurylinklabs.watchtower.enable=true"


  
  watchtower:
    image: containrrr/watchtower
    volumes:
      - /var/run/docker.sock:/var/run/docker.sock
      - $HOME/.docker/config.json:/config.json
    command: --cleanup --label-enable

[victorcmoura]

Nice!

Just to document the solution, I'll quote it here and mark it as the answer:

@victorcmoura It turns out that logging into the docker registry with my github username and password was the problem. This for some reason does not have the permissions required to overwrite images. I solved it by logging in to the registry with a personal token with delete rights on packages.

Works fine with Watchtower :)

Welcome to the club xD If you have any more questions, feel free to initiate a new discussion.