The Git ecosystem continues to evolve, and one of the most talked-about changes around Git 3.0 is the move to main as the default branch name. While many developers have already adopted this convention, its formal standardization marks an important milestone for version control best practices.In this article, we’ll explain why Git 3.0 uses main by default, what it means for developers and teams, and how to adapt smoothly.
master to mainThe shift from master to main is driven by two core reasons:
The term master has historical connotations that many communities want to move away from. Using main provides a clear, neutral, and inclusive alternative without changing Git’s core functionality.
main better describes what the branch represents:
the primary or production-ready branch.
For new developers especially, main is more intuitive and easier to understand than master.
With Git 3.0:
New repositories will default to main instead of master
Tooling and documentation will increasingly assume main
CI/CD pipelines and templates will standardize around main
This aligns Git with platforms like GitHub, GitLab, and Bitbucket, which already default to main for new repositories.
No. Existing repositories are not automatically changed.
Repos using master will continue to work
Git 3.0 does not force renaming
Teams can migrate when it makes sense
This ensures backward compatibility while encouraging modern conventions.
master to mainIf you want to align with Git 3.0 today, you can rename your branch easily:
git branch -m master main
git push -u origin main
git push origin --delete master
You may also need to update:
CI/CD configs
Deployment scripts
Protected branch rules
For most teams, the impact is minimal:
New projects benefit immediately from consistency
Existing teams can migrate gradually
Onboarding improves with clearer naming
Tooling compatibility increases over time
The change is largely symbolic, but it reinforces modern collaboration standards.
The move to main as the default branch in Git 3.0 reflects the broader evolution of software development—toward clarity, inclusivity, and better developer experience.
If you’re starting new projects, adopting main now puts you ahead of the curve. If you’re maintaining legacy repositories, migration is optional but recommended.
Git 3.0 doesn’t just change a default—it sets a new standard.