Unlocking GitHub Package Version IDs for Enhanced Developer Productivity

Demystifying GitHub Package Version IDs for Workflow Automation

Navigating the nuances of package management across different registries can sometimes throw a curveball. A recent discussion on GitHub Community highlighted a common point of confusion: the mysterious numeric ID embedded in GitHub Packages container links. What is this number, and how can developers leverage it for more efficient software development planning and automation?

What is the "Mysterious Number"?

The number, such as 683317892 in a URL like https://github.com/goauthentik/authentik/pkgs/container/server/683317892?tag=2025.10, is a GitHub internal package version ID. As community experts KrishGoya1 and joeljohnson22 clarified, it's an internal identifier GitHub generates for the package metadata record within its Packages system. It's primarily displayed in the GitHub Packages UI and is not part of the standard Docker image pull reference (e.g., docker pull ghcr.io/goauthentik/authentik-server:2025.10).

Unlike Docker Hub, which often uses simpler /tags/ paths, GitHub Packages assigns these unique numeric IDs to each version of a container image. Understanding this distinction is crucial for developers aiming to integrate GitHub Packages seamlessly into their productivity software for developers and CI/CD pipelines.

How to Programmatically Retrieve the Package Version ID

The good news is that while this ID isn't directly exposed via a Docker Registry API, it is accessible through the GitHub API. This allows for powerful automation, enabling developers to dynamically construct links or retrieve specific package metadata within their workflows.

To get this internal ID, you'll need to use the GitHub REST API to list package versions. Here's a practical example using curl and jq, as shared in the discussion:

TOKEN=ghp_... # Your GitHub Personal Access Token with 'read:packages' scope
OWNER=goauthentik
REPO=authentik
PACKAGE_NAME=server # The name of your container package

PACKAGE_ID=$(curl -s \
  -H "Accept: application/vnd.github+json" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $TOKEN" \
  https://api.github.com/orgs/$OWNER/packages/container/$PACKAGE_NAME/versions \
  | jq -r '.[] | select(.metadata.container.tags[]=="2025.10") .id')

echo "The internal package ID for tag 2025.10 is: $PACKAGE_ID"

This script first sets up your GitHub Personal Access Token (TOKEN), the organization OWNER, and the PACKAGE_NAME. It then makes an API call to list all versions of the specified container package. Finally, jq is used to filter the JSON response, finding the entry that matches the desired tag (e.g., "2025.10") and extracting its corresponding .id.

Integrating into Your Development Workflow

For developers like FlizzerMDX, who wanted to return this link in a workflow that builds and pushes a Docker image, this API method is invaluable. Once you have the PACKAGE_ID, you can dynamically construct the exact GitHub Packages UI link:

# Assuming PACKAGE_ID and other variables are set from the previous script
PACKAGE_UI_URL="https://github.com/$OWNER/$REPO/pkgs/container/$PACKAGE_NAME/$PACKAGE_ID?tag=2025.10"
echo "GitHub Packages UI URL: $PACKAGE_UI_URL"

This approach significantly enhances development statistics and reporting by providing direct links to specific package versions within the GitHub UI, rather than just the generic Docker pull command. It streamlines communication and validation steps in CI/CD pipelines, making it a powerful tool for any team focused on robust software development planning and execution.

Conclusion

The GitHub Packages internal version ID, while not immediately intuitive, is a powerful identifier for navigating the GitHub UI and automating workflows. By leveraging the GitHub API, developers can programmatically retrieve these IDs, construct dynamic links, and ultimately boost their overall developer productivity. This insight from the community underscores the importance of understanding the underlying mechanics of our tools to unlock their full potential.