Changing the default branch to main

[joerick]

This is just a heads up, I'm planning to change the default branch on this repo to main this week, let's say Wednesday 26th. Github have a tool to change it over, and update PRs to target the new branch, but you might have to update it on local checkouts and forks. Shouldn't be a big issue though, this is what Github say about it:

Renaming a branch will:

• Re-target any open pull requests
• Update any draft releases based on the branch
• Move any branch protection rules that explicitly reference the old name
• Update the branch used to build GitHub Pages, if applicable
• Show a notice to repository contributors, maintainers, and admins on the repository homepage with instructions to update local copies of the repository
• Show a notice to contributors who git push to the old branch
• Redirect web requests for the old branch name to the new branch name
• Return a "Moved Permanently" response in API requests for the old branch name

---

Checklist for the switch:

• Use the Github tool to change it over
• Find/replace master to main in CI configs, docs, scripts, example code, etc
• Change default branch on Readthedocs

[pradyunsg]

Experience from renaming pip's default branch is encoded here: pypa/pip#8948

Everything on GitHub "just works", but you'll need to manually update:

• Any custom scripts.
• non-GitHub CI configuration.
• (maybe) CI commands and automation.
• ReadTheDocs configuration.

[joerick]

Thanks @pradyunsg ! That's very helpful :)

[henryiii]

One extra personal detail - remember to delete your master branches locally afterwards. I find it's important that 'git switch master` fail locally or otherwise I've started making PRs based on the old deleted master more than once. :/

[joerick]

The change has happened! Github is helpfully showing a note how to change your local repos, but if anyone missed it, the commands are:

git branch -m master main
git fetch origin
git branch -u origin/main main
git remote set-head origin -a

[henryiii]

Interesting, if you follow those steps, local master goes away - ah, -m is move. Nice, that's helpful. Was going to recommend you also delete master but those instructions handle that - guess I should follow instructions instead of doing it manually from now on. ;)