Create-react-app: By default master branch is created, but now github uses main branch as default branch

[adrijshikhar]

Describe the bug

create-react-app sets master as the default branch but Github has now changed the default branch to be main. So now this package should create the branch name same as that of Github to keep consistency.
(Write your answer here.)

Did you try recovering your dependencies?

Not needed

6.14.8
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Which terms did you search for in User Guide?

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Environment

System:
OS: Linux 5.8 Manjaro Linux
CPU: (8) x64 Intel(R) Core(TM) i7-7700HQ CPU @ 2.80GHz
Binaries:
Node: 14.8.0 - ~/.nvm/versions/node/v14.8.0/bin/node
Yarn: 1.22.5 - /usr/bin/yarn
npm: 6.14.8 - ~/.nvm/versions/node/v14.8.0/bin/npm
Browsers:
Chrome: Not Found
Firefox: Not Found
npmPackages:
react: ^16.13.1 => 16.13.1
react-dom: ^16.13.1 => 16.13.1
react-scripts: 3.4.3 => 3.4.3
npmGlobalPackages:
create-react-app: 3.4.1

(paste the output of the command here.)

Steps to reproduce

(Write your steps here:)

1. run npx create-react-app test
2. see the branch name

Expected behavior

Default branch name should be main
(Write what you thought would happen.)

Actual behavior

Defatul branch name is master

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Reproducible demo

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[giovannibenussi]

I don’t think that Github’s decisions should set this library’s decisions. However, I agree that there’s a need to update the default branch name to main or at least be able to specify it with a flag.

BTW, If it’s considered a first good issue, I want to take it 😅

[adrijshikhar]

Passing a flag seems to be a better option as a person is not restricted to use the default branch. If someone uses GitLab then the default branch in that is master and in Github is main. I think this flag option should be included else it will create a hassle for the users.

[nrayburn-tech]

Currently, it looks like it respects the git config for init.defaultbranch. I have mine set to main, so when I run yarn create react-app, my branch is main.

A flag would be nice for users to have the option at runtime though.

[nealeu]

Let's step into the political domain for a comment... This is not about Github's defaults, it is about why GH changed from m4573r to main.

This is however a Facebook repository, and as such we are all slaves to the master that is Facebook, so it's entirely in keeping for Facebook to keep master in place to remind us of the power it has over our lives.

So, if you're taking a Facebook salary and can't be bothered to prioritise this, then... yeah.. well, you belong there, just keep thinking of the toys we can all buy from the economic slavery that's in place to make them for us ;-)

In other words.
Come on, get with the times.
Let's move at least one part of this injust world forwards... just one.
Please rename master to main

Who's gonna step up to the plate?

[nrayburn-tech]

If I understand correctly, most of the maintainers here are volunteers.

You could also create a PR to add the functionality. I highly doubt it would be rejected.

[nrayburn-tech]

If somebody would like to try a PR, here is some information . One of the maintainers could help out once you’ve got a working PR.

Add the new argument somewhere around here.
https://github.com/facebook/create-react-app/blob/d07b7d025f5933710fcb01718617dbdf4bc54c33/packages/create-react-app/createReactApp.js#L74

The variable needs to be passed in here, possibly though some other functions along the way as well.
https://github.com/facebook/create-react-app/blob/d07b7d025f5933710fcb01718617dbdf4bc54c33/packages/create-react-app/createReactApp.js#L508

This function needs to accept the new argument.
https://github.com/facebook/create-react-app/blob/d07b7d025f5933710fcb01718617dbdf4bc54c33/packages/react-scripts/scripts/init.js#L84

I don’t use git extensively, but I guess the init is where you would pass in the branch name. That is here.
https://github.com/facebook/create-react-app/blob/d07b7d025f5933710fcb01718617dbdf4bc54c33/packages/react-scripts/scripts/init.js#L51

Adding a test to make sure the passed in argument is used would be good #to make sure the functionality isn’t broken in the future. I didn’t look at how any test are setup here though, so I don’t have any info there.