Incorrect displaying language tag for github organization after repository removal

[5HT]

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Greetings!

I have several Github orgs that incorrectly displays. E.g @synrc org has displayed tag Python while it has not reposotory with that language.

How can we fix it? I'm fine with manual cache cleaning, but please remove Python from @synrc :-)

Thanks for reviewing this inquiry!

[5HT]

The same applies for @BitEdits organization, it lacks Rust repos for couple mounths, but still taged as using Rust. Please remove Rust:

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[5HT]

I have one more Github Organization @longchenpa with the same problem (unexisting Python repo while it has Python tag).

[NTHoang2103]

The issue of the language tag (language statistics bar) on a GitHub organization's main page remaining incorrect or failing to update after a repository is deleted is a common problem rooted in GitHub's caching and background processing system.

GitHub relies on the open-source Linguist library to calculate the language proportions within each repository. However, the aggregation of this data at the Organization level and its subsequent refresh after a major event like a repository deletion often experiences a significant delay.

1. Root Cause: Caching and Low-Priority Background Jobs
   Background Tasks: The language statistics calculation is a resource-intensive process, which GitHub handles as a low-priority background job. This job is not instantly triggered upon deletion.

Caching Mechanism: Organization-level statistics are heavily cached (stored in temporary memory) for a period of time (which can range from a few hours up to 24 hours) to minimize server load. When you delete a repository, the cached aggregate data doesn't immediately expire.

2. Recommended Fixes and Troubleshooting Steps
   Since direct cache invalidation is not available to users, the most effective approach is to force a recalculation on the remaining repositories or simply wait.

[Ravi-GitLab-7]

The issue of the language tag (language statistics bar) on a GitHub organization's main page remaining incorrect or failing to update after a repository is deleted is a common problem rooted in GitHub's caching and background processing system.

GitHub relies on the open-source Linguist library to calculate the language proportions within each repository. However, the aggregation of this data at the Organization level and its subsequent refresh after a major event like a repository deletion often experiences a significant delay.

Root Cause: Caching and Low-Priority Background Jobs
Background Tasks: The language statistics calculation is a resource-intensive process, which GitHub handles as a low-priority background job. This job is not instantly triggered upon deletion.
Caching Mechanism: Organization-level statistics are heavily cached (stored in temporary memory) for a period of time (which can range from a few hours up to 24 hours) to minimize server load. When you delete a repository, the cached aggregate data doesn't immediately expire.

Recommended Fixes and Troubleshooting Steps
Since direct cache invalidation is not available to users, the most effective approach is to force a recalculation on the remaining repositories or simply wait.

[NTHoang2103]

There is no direct manual "refresh" button for organization-wide statistics. However, the system will eventually recalculate them.

Here are the most effective ways to trigger a faster update:

Wait and Monitor:

The most common fix is simply waiting 24-48 hours. GitHub's background jobs and caching mechanisms will usually correct the organization's statistics on their own after this period.

Trigger Activity in Other Repositories (Best Method):

Force a recalculation by making a new commit and push to the default branch (e.g., main or master) of one of the other existing repositories within the organization. This activity often prompts the system to refresh the statistics for the entire organization profile. A small change to the README.md is usually enough.

Review Individual Repository Statistics:

If you suspect another repository might be incorrectly classified (inflating a specific language percentage), you can manually fix it:

Navigate to the repository.

Create a file named .gitattributes in the root directory.

Use the linguist-vendored attribute to ignore large files or folders that are throwing off the language count (e.g., dist/* linguist-vendored or vendor/** linguist-vendored).

Commit and push this file. This will force an update for that specific repository, which should then feed the correct data back into the organization's overall stats.

If the incorrect tag persists after waiting and trying the above methods, you may need to contact GitHub Support, as the cache may be stuck on their end.