---
title: "Discussion on \"GitHub to rename the default branch to main\" | Hashnode"
description: "Discussion on \"GitHub to rename the default branch to main\". GitHub to replace 'master' with 'main' starting next month\nAll new Git repositories on GitHub will be named \"main\" instead of \"master\" post September, 2020.\n\nWhy rename main?\n\nmain is the most popular replacement for master that we’re seeing across G..."
url: "https://hashnode.com/posts/github-to-rename-the-default-branch-to-main/5f68859935d6463d2b5f9654"
---

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# [GitHub to rename the default branch to main](https://ayushirawat.com/github-to-rename-the-default-branch-to-main?utm_source=hashnode&utm_medium=feed)

GitHub to replace 'master' with 'main' starting next month All new Git repositories on GitHub will be named "main" instead of "master" post September, 2020. Why rename main? main is the most popular replacement for master that we’re seeing across G...

Sep 21, 2020 · 2 min read · ayushirawat.com  
Updated Oct 21, 2020  
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## Written by

[Ayushi Rawat](https://hashnode.com/@ayushi7rawat)

@ayushi7rawat · Pune

  
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## Responses 2

Markdown supported · ⌘↵ to post

[Mark](https://hashnode.com/@mverleg)

[Sep 21, 2020](https://hashnode.com/posts/github-to-rename-the-default-branch-to-main/5f68859935d6463d2b5f9654/comment/5f68b9a835d6463d2b5f9ad4)

Glad they're eventually going to make it easy to rename in existing repositories; it would be annoying to do by hand, but also annoying to have different names in different repos.

I wonder if someone will make some git extension to make "master" an alias of "main".

Now that I think about it, I usually do "git init" and add a remote later. I guess this change only works if you clone the empty repo that Github creates. Is git itself going to change too?

[Dinys Monvoisin](https://hashnode.com/@dinmon)

[Sep 21, 2020](https://hashnode.com/posts/github-to-rename-the-default-branch-to-main/5f68859935d6463d2b5f9654/comment/5f6894e26dfc523d0a894838)

Do you know the reason it was changed to "main"?

[Michelle Janosi](https://hashnode.com/@michelle)

[Sep 21, 2020](https://hashnode.com/posts/github-to-rename-the-default-branch-to-main/5f68859935d6463d2b5f9654/comment/5f6894e26dfc523d0a894838#reply-5f68ca616dfc523d0a894cf4)

[Daniel Ziltener](https://hashnode.com/@zilti) there is. Doing a little research on why will do wonders if you actually care about our black community

[Daniel Ziltener](https://hashnode.com/@zilti)

[Oct 4, 2020](https://hashnode.com/posts/github-to-rename-the-default-branch-to-main/5f68859935d6463d2b5f9654/comment/5f6894e26dfc523d0a894838#reply-5f7a51cc7d160d41227d8acc)

[Michelle Janosi](https://hashnode.com/@michelle) So you are trying to tell me "master" is offensive to black people? Why? Probably the next thing you're going to tell me that the world revolves around the US, and that slavery is an exclusively black problem? I hope you also bring this discussion to the local BDSM community, I am sure they're thrilled to stop using "master". Also, while you're at it, tell the Germans to stop using "master" as a term for someone who... wait for it... mastered his field of work and got a certificate for that.

[Daniel Ziltener](https://hashnode.com/@zilti)

[Mar 4, 2021](https://hashnode.com/posts/github-to-rename-the-default-branch-to-main/5f68859935d6463d2b5f9654/comment/5f6894e26dfc523d0a894838#reply-6040d1bffb37920a1fc66754)

[Michelle Janosi](https://hashnode.com/@michelle) of course, there's no reply to that... I hope this bullshit at least makes you feel good in some way.