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https://github.com/github/renaming

Guidance for changing the default branch name for GitHub repositories
https://github.com/github/renaming

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Guidance for changing the default branch name for GitHub repositories

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# Renaming the default branch from `master`



Many communities, both on GitHub and in the wider Git community, are considering renaming the default branch name of their repository from `master`. GitHub is gradually renaming the default branch of our own repositories from `master` to `main`. We're committed to making the renaming process as seamless as possible for project maintainers and all of their contributors. This repository is our up-to-date guidance on how and when to rename your default branch.



We're not the only organization in the Git ecosystem making these changes: there are upcoming changes in the Git project ([statement](https://sfconservancy.org/news/2020/jun/23/gitbranchname/), [code change](https://lore.kernel.org/git/[email protected]/)), as well as coordinated changes from multiple vendors.



We're making changes to GitHub in a few phases, designed to cause as little disruption to existing projects as possible.



## What's already changed



- [We've updated GitHub.com](https://github.blog/changelog/2020-07-17-links-to-deleted-branches-now-redirect-to-the-default-branch/) to redirect links that contain the deleted branch name such as `master` to the corresponding link in the repository's new default branch.

- [We've updated GitHub Pages](https://github.blog/changelog/2020-07-31-build-and-deploy-github-pages-from-any-branch-beta/) to build and deploy from any branch.

  - Note: publishing to the special `gh-pages` branch will still work the same as it always has, but now you can choose any other branch in your repository as the publishing source.

  - Note: If the branch used by GitHub Pages is renamed, your GitHub Pages site will be unpublished. Pushing a new commit to the renamed branch will republish the site.

- [We've added user, organization, and enterprise settings](https://github.blog/changelog/2020-08-26-set-the-default-branch-for-newly-created-repositories/) to set the default branch name for all newly-created repositories on GitHub.com. We're adding the same settings in the 3.0 release of GitHub Enterprise Server.

  - These settings cover repositories created through [GitHub.com](https://github.com/new) and the [GitHub API](https://developer.github.com/v3/guides/getting-started/#create-a-repository). Git 2.28 added a similar setting to control the default branch used when you run `git init` on the command line. Learn more about the new `init.defaultBranch` setting in [the Git 2.28 blog post](https://github.blog/2020-07-27-highlights-from-git-2-28/#introducing-init-defaultbranch).

  - [GitHub Desktop](https://desktop.github.com/) has introduced a default branch setting for new repositories.

- [We've made it easier to rename an existing branch](#rename-existing)

- [We've updated Gists to use your preferred branch name](https://github.blog/changelog/2022-02-10-gists-now-support-alternative-default-branch-names/)

 

## New repositories use `main` as the default branch name



The default branch name for new repositories created on GitHub is now `main`. To set a different default:



1. For [users](https://docs.github.com/en/github/setting-up-and-managing-your-github-user-account/managing-the-default-branch-name-for-your-repositories), on the https://github.com/settings/repositories page

2. For [organization owners](https://docs.github.com/en/github/setting-up-and-managing-organizations-and-teams/managing-the-default-branch-name-for-repositories-in-your-organization), on the `https://github.com/organizations/YOUR-ORGANIZATION/settings/repository-defaults` page

3. For [enterprise administrators](https://docs.github.com/en/github/setting-up-and-managing-your-enterprise-account/enforcing-repository-management-policies-in-your-enterprise-account#enforcing-a-policy-on-the-default-branch-name), on the `https://github.com/enterprises/YOUR-ENTERPRISE/settings/member_privileges` page



Users, organizations, and enterprises that previously selected a default branch for new repositories are not impacted by this change. Existing repositories are also not impacted by this change.



### Why main?



`main` is the most popular replacement for `master` that we're seeing across GitHub. We like it because it's short, it keeps your muscle memory intact, and it translates well across most languages. We're using `main` for our newly-created repositories and for the repositories we're moving now, like [dependabot-core](https://github.com/dependabot/dependabot-core).






## Renaming existing branches



You can now rename any branch, including the default branch, from the web.



![Rename default branch dialog](rename-default-branch-dialog.png)



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



Learn more about [renaming a branch](https://docs.github.com/github/administering-a-repository/renaming-a-branch).