Contributors sidebar count remains 76 while API and visible avatars show only my account

[anyang1991]

🏷️ Discussion Type

Bug

Body

Repository: https://github.com/anyang1991/anyang1991.github.io

Expected: the homepage Contributors sidebar should show only anyang1991 and a count of 1.

The repository is no longer a fork and has an independent default-branch history. More than 24 hours have passed since the history cleanup. Its only branch is master, with 12 commits by anyang1991. HEAD: 509fc10d53d9a8ca993e4d66452471c124482b0d.

Verified on 2026-11-01:

• https://api.github.com/repos/anyang1991/anyang1991.github.io/contributors?per_page=100&anon=true returns only anyang1991, with 12 contributions.
• https://api.github.com/repos/anyang1991/anyang1991.github.io/stats/contributors returns only anyang1991, total 12 commits.
• https://github.com/anyang1991/anyang1991.github.io/_sidebar initially returned contributorCount=76 and former template authors. This also appeared in incognito.
• A normal code commit and push did not refresh it.

I tested the default-branch rename workaround from the pinned guide https://github.com/orgs/community/discussions/209302 : temporarily rename master, then restore master. No files or commits were changed. The default branch, Pages source (master /), custom domain, and live site were verified after restoration.

The workaround partially refreshed the sidebar: its contributors array now contains only anyang1991, but contributorCount remains 76 (last checked 2026-11-01 04:26 UTC). The remaining problem is the stale total, which disagrees with both the visible avatars and REST statistics.

The documentation recommends Support after approximately 24 hours: https://docs.github.com/en/repositories/viewing-activity-and-data-for-your-repository/viewing-a-projects-contributors#contributor-data-is-stale-after-history-changes . Support initially closed my ticket because my account has self-service support options and directed me here. The reopened ticket has no further response yet.

Could a maintainer advise how to refresh the homepage contributor count specifically, or route this inconsistency to the appropriate team?

Resubmission note: https://github.com/orgs/community/discussions/211764 was automatically closed for being submitted via API. This report uses the required web template.

[github-actions[bot]]

💬 Your Product Feedback Has Been Submitted 🎉

Thank you for taking the time to share your insights with us! Your feedback is invaluable as we build a better GitHub experience for all our users.

Here's what you can expect moving forward ⏩

• Your input will be carefully reviewed and cataloged by members of our product teams. 
  • Due to the high volume of submissions, we may not always be able to provide individual responses.
  • Rest assured, your feedback will help chart our course for product improvements.
• Other users may engage with your post, sharing their own perspectives or experiences. 
• GitHub staff may reach out for further clarification or insight. 
  • We may 'Answer' your discussion if there is a current solution, workaround, or roadmap/changelog post related to the feedback.

Where to look to see what's shipping 👀

• Read the Changelog for real-time updates on the latest GitHub features, enhancements, and calls for feedback.
• Explore our Product Roadmap, which details upcoming major releases and initiatives.

What you can do in the meantime 💻

• Upvote and comment on other user feedback Discussions that resonate with you.
• Add more information at any point! Useful details include: use cases, relevant labels, desired outcomes, and any accompanying screenshots.

As a member of the GitHub community, your participation is essential. While we can't promise that every suggestion will be implemented, we want to emphasize that your feedback is instrumental in guiding our decisions and priorities.

Thank you once again for your contribution to making GitHub even better! We're grateful for your ongoing support and collaboration in shaping the future of our platform. ⭐

[kittimzhe]

Live-checked your repo just now, and the live data doesn't match either side of the report — which explains the mismatch you're seeing:

• master currently has 17 commits, not 12: 16 authored by your noreply address, plus one authored by aresan02@163.com.
• The contributors API accordingly returns 2 contributors right now (you, 16 + aresan02, 1) — not 1.

So the sidebar's composition is partially real — there is still an aresan02 commit in the history — while the count of 76 is the stale part (a pre-cleanup snapshot; the sidebar recomputes lazily, and history rewrites don't trigger it). Two separate things to fix:

1. If you want a true count of 1, the remaining aresan02 commit has to go (another history rewrite) — otherwise the sidebar will legitimately show 2 after the next recompute.
2. Either way, push any new commit — that's the usual trigger for the sidebar to recompute; the count should drop from 76 to the real number within a day or so.

Same family as #211425 (stale _sidebar snapshot after rewrite, API reads live data) — worth cross-linking your case there if the count doesn't move after a fresh push.

[anyang1991]

Thanks for checking and explaining this! The sidebar now shows 2 contributors, matching the API. The stale count of 76 is resolved. Really appreciate your help!

[v-ember]

Hi @kittimzhe, thanks for taking the time to answer!

@anyang1991 if the response above helped, please feel encouraged to mark it as the answer. If not, let us know if you have further questions or post the solution if you've resolved it on your own. It would be helpful for other users who might experience this in the future to quickly find the answer. 😄