Change default branch from 'master' to 'main'

[pritkc]

Change default branch from 'master' to 'main'

I propose changing our default branch name from 'master' to 'main' to align with industry best practices and more inclusive terminology.

Motivation

GitHub and many other organizations have moved away from using 'master' as the default branch name due to its historical connotations. This change helps create a more inclusive environment for all contributors.

Notable organizations that have made this change include:

• GitHub
• Git
• Linux kernel
• OpenJDK

Required Changes

GitHub Workflows

• .github/workflows/docs.yml: Lines 5, 13, 61
• .github/workflows/linter.yml: Lines 16, 58
• .github/workflows/JOSS-draft.yml: Line 12

Configuration Files

• .zenodo.json: Lines 30, 135
• doc/sphinx/source/conf.py: Line 35 (master_doc = 'index')

Documentation

• .github/PULL_REQUEST_TEMPLATE.md: Lines 2, 3, 60 (links to Contributing Guide and Code of Conduct)

Note : These changes are per my eagle-eye view; they may evolve as I proceed with the test runs.

Migration Plan

Here's a proposed process for migrating:

1. Create a new 'main' branch from 'master'
2. Update all references mentioned above
3. Change the default branch in GitHub repository settings
4. Add a note to the README.md about the change (Optional)
5. Add a temporary redirect from 'master' to 'main' to avoid breaking any existing links
6. Eventually archive the 'master' branch after sufficient time has passed

References

• GitHub Renaming Guidance
• Instructions for GitHub branch renaming

[pritkc]

@jbrzensk Does opening a discussion automatically notify all active contributors? (I couldn’t find any relevant settings related to discussion notifications on my end.)
If not, what would be the best way to invite contributors to join the discussion?

[jbrzensk]

I think emails is dependent on the personal settings of the user. IDK the best way to invite others.

[valeriabarra]

Hey @pritkc , with 100% positive votes, I think it is safe to proceed with this change if you want to tackle this next. Thank you!

[pritkc]

On it!