Understanding Git's Switch from 'Master' to 'Main' and Its Impact on Developers

If you're new to Git or working on older repositories, you might see that the main branch is sometimes called master and other times main. This can be confusing, especially if you're just starting with Git.

In this post, I'll explain why there are two names, what the difference is, and how you can easily change the branch name if needed.

1. What is a Branch in Git?

Let's make sure we know what a branch in Git is before we get started. A branch is essentially an alternate version of your project. Git allows you to work on different project components independently and then merge everything together at a later time through the usage of branches.

A default branch is where your project's primary version is stored when you initially create a Git project (a repository).

2. The History of the Master Branch

Master was the name of the Git default branch for a very long time. A branch called master would be established for you automatically whenever you created a new Git repository. Usually, the main or most stable version of your code was stored in this branch.

3. Why the Change to Main?

The well-known Git repository sharing service GitHub made the decision to switch the default branch name from master to main in 2020. In the software industry, there has been a general push to replace the term "master" with a more inclusive term because to its negative historical associations with slavery.

As a more neutral and straightforward phrase, "main" was introduced as the default branch name. In contrast to master, the majority of newly created Git repositories now begin with a main branch.

4. Why Don’t I Have a Main Branch in My Project?

You might still see the master branch if you've been working on a Git project that was established prior to this modification. The reason for this is that earlier repositories have not yet been automatically updated to switch from master to main.

After GitHub made the modification, repositories that are more recent will by default have a main branch.

5. How to Rename the Master Branch to Main

If you’re working on an older project and want to switch to using main, it’s really easy to do! Here’s how you can rename your local branch:

1. Rename the branch on your computer: Open your terminal or command line, go to your project folder, and type this command:

    git branch -m master main
   

   This renames the current branch from master to main.

2. Push the renamed branch to the remote repository: If your project is connected to a site like GitHub, you’ll want to update the branch there too. Use this command:

    git push -u origin main
   

3. Update the default branch on GitHub or your Git platform: Go to your repository settings on GitHub (or wherever your repository is hosted) and set main as the new default branch. You can usually find this option in the "Branches" or "Settings" section.

4. Delete the old master branch from the remote (optional): If you no longer need the master branch, you can delete it:

    git push origin --delete master
   

6. Make Main the Default Branch for All New Repositories

To make sure all your future projects automatically use main as the default branch, you can configure Git to do this with one simple command:

git config --global init.defaultBranch main

This ensures that whenever you create a new repository, Git will use main as the default branch, so you won’t have to manually rename it later.

7. Why Does This Matter?

"Does it really matter whether my branch is called master or main?" may be on your mind. It won't have much of an impact on your regular coding. However, this minor adjustment contributes to a broader industry-wide endeavor to employ more inclusive terminology, which opens up the tech sector to a wider range of people.

This is good practice because managing branches is a crucial skill when working with Git.

8. Conclusion

To sum up, the change in Git terminology from "master" to "main" is a big step in the direction of more inclusive vocabulary in the software sector.

Even while the modification might not appear significant, it is part of a larger effort to make the development community friendly for all developers.

Comprehending the management and renaming of branches in Git is crucial for contemporary development methodologies. These actions guarantee that your repositories are inclusive and up to date, regardless of whether you're working on brand-new projects or updating older ones.