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Merged
jameslamb merged 6 commits into from
Jul 10, 2026
+121 −113
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change default branch from 'master' to 'main' #7287

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fa8a553
change default branch from 'master' to 'main'
jameslamb May 19, 2026
dc2fba8
merge master
jameslamb May 25, 2026
d142e18
one more reference
jameslamb May 25, 2026
32a9290
Merge branch 'master' into default-branch
jameslamb Jun 18, 2026
45ac743
Merge branch 'master' into default-branch
jameslamb Jul 4, 2026
a1d198e
Merge branch 'master' into default-branch
jameslamb Jul 6, 2026
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3 changes: 2 additions & 1 deletion .appveyor.yml
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Expand Up @@ -5,10 +5,11 @@ platform: x64
configuration:
- '3.10'

# only build on 'master' and pull requests targeting it
# only build on 'master' / 'main' and pull requests targeting it

@borchero borchero May 25, 2026

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Why do we keep master here?

@jameslamb jameslamb May 25, 2026

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I believe we need it for CI on this PR to still be triggered.

So it could be removed as soon as this is merged and the default branch switches to main.

@jameslamb jameslamb Jul 10, 2026

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I've put up a follow-up removing these: #7353

branches:
only:
- master
- main

environment:
matrix:
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3 changes: 2 additions & 1 deletion .github/workflows/build.yml
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Expand Up @@ -5,9 +5,10 @@ name: Build
on:
push:
branches:
- master
- main
pull_request:
branches:
- main
- master

@borchero borchero May 25, 2026

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Similar question: aren't all PRs immediately rebased after rename?

@jameslamb jameslamb May 25, 2026

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@guolinke asked that we preserve master indefinitely (but just not update it any more), so I was thinking of doing this as changing the default branch not "renaming" master to main.

GitHub handles a lot with renaming (https://docs.github.com/en/repositories/configuring-branches-and-merges-in-your-repository/managing-branches-in-your-repository/renaming-a-branch), but the renaming does not extend to SSH-base git clones

$ git clone --branch master git@github.com:dask/distributed.git
Cloning into 'distributed'...
fatal: Remote branch master not found in upstream origin

But thinking about it some more, renaming via GitHub's feature for that (https://docs.github.com/en/repositories/configuring-branches-and-merges-in-your-repository/managing-branches-in-your-repository/renaming-a-branch) would be easier and seems like it's handle most redirections.

And I guess anyone directly trying to clone from master probably really wants "latest" and it'd be better to alert them to the need to update to main than for them to silently keep getting a frozen-in-time-branch.

@guolinke could you read that link and let me know if it'd be ok to rename master to main instead of preserving master?

I guess this is what other projects have done, e.g. if you go to https://github.com/dask/distributed/tree/master you'll be redirected to https://github.com/dask/distributed/tree/main.

@borchero borchero Jun 18, 2026

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Yeah, I'd be strongly in favor of renaming via GitHub's dedicated feature 😅

@jameslamb jameslamb Jul 6, 2026

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I've asked @guolinke for his opinion in the private maintainer chat too. Hoping we can come to an agreement here and resolve this to make it part of the v4.7.0 release.

I know he's busy with other things and may be hard to reach.

If we don't hear back by July 25 (that'll have been 2 months), I'm comfortable moving forward with the "renaming" option and with the release. I always want to defer to Guolin's opinion on major things like this affecting the project, but we also need to keep the project moving forward and he already approved making the default branch main (it's only the exact mechanism that's a question here).

@jameslamb jameslamb Jul 6, 2026

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Hey @borchero , Guolin approved doing the rename privately, so I'm ready to move forward with that approach. Thanks for the nudge!

I still think we need these master lines in GitHub Actions configurations temporarily to keep CI running on this PR (and then a follow-up PR to remove them).

I've also updated the plan in the "Approach" section of #7034

Could you take another look here and approve if you think the PR has all the changes we'd want on the default branch before making the switch?

Once you approve this, I'll merge it and work on all the other steps. And then we could hopefully be ready to do the release as soon as this week 😁


# automatically cancel in-progress builds if another commit is pushed
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3 changes: 2 additions & 1 deletion .github/workflows/cpp.yml
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Expand Up @@ -3,9 +3,10 @@ name: C++
on:
push:
branches:
- master
- main
pull_request:
branches:
- main
- master

# automatically cancel in-progress builds if another commit is pushed
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1 change: 1 addition & 0 deletions .github/workflows/optional_checks.yml
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Expand Up @@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ name: Optional checks
on:
pull_request:
branches:
- main
- master

# automatically cancel in-progress builds if another commit is pushed
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7 changes: 4 additions & 3 deletions .github/workflows/python_package.yml
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Expand Up @@ -3,9 +3,10 @@ name: Python-package
on:
push:
branches:
- master
- main
pull_request:
branches:
- main
- master

# automatically cancel in-progress builds if another commit is pushed
Expand Down Expand Up @@ -477,8 +478,8 @@ jobs:
- test
- test-linux-aarch64
runs-on: ubuntu-latest
# publish whenever a new commit is pushed to 'master'
if: github.event_name == 'push' && github.ref == 'refs/heads/master'
# publish whenever a new commit is pushed to 'main'
if: github.event_name == 'push' && github.ref == 'refs/heads/main'
environment:
name: nightly-python-uploads
url: https://anaconda.org/lightgbm-packages/lightgbm
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3 changes: 2 additions & 1 deletion .github/workflows/r_package.yml
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Expand Up @@ -3,9 +3,10 @@ name: R-package
on:
push:
branches:
- master
- main
pull_request:
branches:
- main
- master

# automatically cancel in-progress builds if another commit is pushed
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2 changes: 1 addition & 1 deletion .github/workflows/release_drafter.yml
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Expand Up @@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ name: Release Drafter
on:
push:
branches:
- master
- main

# only 1 job running in the repo at any time
concurrency:
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3 changes: 2 additions & 1 deletion .github/workflows/static_analysis.yml
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Expand Up @@ -5,9 +5,10 @@ name: Static Analysis
on:
push:
branches:
- master
- main
pull_request:
branches:
- main
- master

# automatically cancel in-progress builds if another commit is pushed
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3 changes: 2 additions & 1 deletion .github/workflows/swig.yml
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Expand Up @@ -3,9 +3,10 @@ name: SWIG
on:
push:
branches:
- master
- main
pull_request:
branches:
- main
- master

# automatically cancel in-progress builds if another commit is pushed
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10 changes: 5 additions & 5 deletions CONTRIBUTING.md
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Expand Up @@ -6,11 +6,11 @@ Your help is very valuable to make it better for everyone.

## How to Contribute

- Check the [Feature Requests Hub](https://github.com/lightgbm-org/LightGBM/issues/2302), and submit pull requests to address chosen issue. If you need development guideline, you can check the [Development Guide](https://github.com/lightgbm-org/LightGBM/blob/master/docs/Development-Guide.rst) or directly ask us in Issues/Pull Requests.
- Contribute to the [tests](https://github.com/lightgbm-org/LightGBM/tree/master/tests) to make it more reliable.
- Contribute to the [documentation](https://github.com/lightgbm-org/LightGBM/tree/master/docs) to make it clearer for everyone.
- Contribute to the [examples](https://github.com/lightgbm-org/LightGBM/tree/master/examples) to share your experience with other users.
- Add your stories and experience to [Awesome LightGBM](https://github.com/lightgbm-org/LightGBM/blob/master/examples/README.md). If LightGBM helped you in a machine learning competition or some research application, we want to hear about it!
- Check the [Feature Requests Hub](https://github.com/lightgbm-org/LightGBM/issues/2302), and submit pull requests to address chosen issue. If you need development guideline, you can check the [Development Guide](https://github.com/lightgbm-org/LightGBM/blob/main/docs/Development-Guide.rst) or directly ask us in Issues/Pull Requests.
- Contribute to the [tests](https://github.com/lightgbm-org/LightGBM/tree/main/tests) to make it more reliable.
- Contribute to the [documentation](https://github.com/lightgbm-org/LightGBM/tree/main/docs) to make it clearer for everyone.
- Contribute to the [examples](https://github.com/lightgbm-org/LightGBM/tree/main/examples) to share your experience with other users.
- Add your stories and experience to [Awesome LightGBM](https://github.com/lightgbm-org/LightGBM/blob/main/examples/README.md). If LightGBM helped you in a machine learning competition or some research application, we want to hear about it!
- [Open an issue](https://github.com/lightgbm-org/LightGBM/issues) to report problems or recommend new features.

## Development Guide
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14 changes: 7 additions & 7 deletions MAINTAINING.md
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Expand Up @@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ See https://pixi.prefix.dev/latest/ for more details.

### Step 1: Put up a Release PR

Create a pull request into `master` which prepares the source code for release.
Create a pull request into `main` which prepares the source code for release.

Copy the description and checklist from the previous release PR (for example: https://github.com/lightgbm-org/LightGBM/pull/6796).

Expand All @@ -41,11 +41,11 @@ and the PR should be used to discuss what makes it into the release.

Once the PR is approved, merge it.

Do not merge any other PRs into `master` until the rest of the release is complete.
Do not merge any other PRs into `main` until the rest of the release is complete.

### Step 3: Wait for a New CI Run on `master`
### Step 3: Wait for a New CI Run on `main`

Wait for all CI runs triggered by the merge to `master` to complete successfully.
Wait for all CI runs triggered by the merge to `main` to complete successfully.

These runs build and test the official artifacts that will be attached to the GitHub release and published to package managers.

Expand All @@ -56,7 +56,7 @@ Navigate to https://github.com/lightgbm-org/LightGBM/releases.
Click "edit" on the draft release that `release-drafter` has created there.

* update the tag and release title to match the version of LightGBM, in the format `v{major}.{minor}.{patch}`
* ensure that tag points at the commit on ``master`` created by merging the release PR
* ensure that tag points at the commit on `main` created by merging the release PR

When you're satisfied with the state of the release, click "Publish release".

Expand All @@ -77,7 +77,7 @@ gh release upload \

Where:

* `COMMIT_ID` = full commit hash of the commit on `master` corresponding to the release
* `COMMIT_ID` = full commit hash of the commit on `main` corresponding to the release
* `TAG` = the tag for the release (e.g. `v4.6.0`)

### Step 6: Complete All Other Post-merge Release Steps
Expand All @@ -88,7 +88,7 @@ See the release checklist on the PR for details.

## Nightly Packages

Nightly packages for the `lightgbm` Python package are uploaded to https://anaconda.org/lightgbm-packages on every merge to `master`.
Nightly packages for the `lightgbm` Python package are uploaded to https://anaconda.org/lightgbm-packages on every merge to `main`.

That's done using an upload token stored in a secret in CI.
Those tokens expire after 1 year.
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2 changes: 1 addition & 1 deletion R-package/R/aliases.R
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Expand Up @@ -64,7 +64,7 @@
}

# [description]
# Per https://github.com/lightgbm-org/LightGBM/blob/master/docs/Parameters.rst#metric,
# Per https://github.com/lightgbm-org/LightGBM/blob/main/docs/Parameters.rst#metric,
# a few different strings can be used to indicate "no metrics".
# [returns]
# A character vector
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20 changes: 10 additions & 10 deletions R-package/README.md
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Expand Up @@ -144,7 +144,7 @@ Rscript build_r.R --use-mingw

#### Mac OS Preparation

You can perform installation either with **Apple Clang** or **gcc**. In case you prefer **Apple Clang**, you should install **OpenMP** (details for installation can be found in [Installation Guide](https://github.com/lightgbm-org/LightGBM/blob/master/docs/Installation-Guide.rst#apple-clang)) first. In case you prefer **gcc**, you need to install it (details for installation can be found in [Installation Guide](https://github.com/lightgbm-org/LightGBM/blob/master/docs/Installation-Guide.rst#gcc)) and set some environment variables to tell R to use `gcc` and `g++`. If you install these from Homebrew, your versions of `g++` and `gcc` are most likely in `/usr/local/bin`, as shown below.
You can perform installation either with **Apple Clang** or **gcc**. In case you prefer **Apple Clang**, you should install **OpenMP** (details for installation can be found in [Installation Guide](https://github.com/lightgbm-org/LightGBM/blob/main/docs/Installation-Guide.rst#apple-clang)) first. In case you prefer **gcc**, you need to install it (details for installation can be found in [Installation Guide](https://github.com/lightgbm-org/LightGBM/blob/main/docs/Installation-Guide.rst#gcc)) and set some environment variables to tell R to use `gcc` and `g++`. If you install these from Homebrew, your versions of `g++` and `gcc` are most likely in `/usr/local/bin`, as shown below.

```
# replace 8 with version of gcc installed on your machine
Expand Down Expand Up @@ -176,7 +176,7 @@ Note: for the build with Visual Studio/VS Build Tools in Windows, you should use

### Installing a GPU-enabled Build

You will need to install Boost and OpenCL first: details for installation can be found in [Installation-Guide](https://github.com/lightgbm-org/LightGBM/blob/master/docs/Installation-Guide.rst#build-gpu-version).
You will need to install Boost and OpenCL first: details for installation can be found in [Installation-Guide](https://github.com/lightgbm-org/LightGBM/blob/main/docs/Installation-Guide.rst#build-gpu-version).

After installing these other libraries, follow the steps in ["Installing from Source with CMake"](#install). When you reach the step that mentions `build_r.R`, pass the flag `--use-gpu`.

Expand Down Expand Up @@ -230,15 +230,15 @@ As of version 3.0.0, this is no longer supported. If building from source is dif
Examples
--------

Please visit [demo](https://github.com/lightgbm-org/LightGBM/tree/master/R-package/demo):
Please visit [demo](https://github.com/lightgbm-org/LightGBM/tree/main/R-package/demo):

* [Basic walkthrough of wrappers](https://github.com/lightgbm-org/LightGBM/blob/master/R-package/demo/basic_walkthrough.R)
* [Boosting from existing prediction](https://github.com/lightgbm-org/LightGBM/blob/master/R-package/demo/boost_from_prediction.R)
* [Early Stopping](https://github.com/lightgbm-org/LightGBM/blob/master/R-package/demo/early_stopping.R)
* [Cross Validation](https://github.com/lightgbm-org/LightGBM/blob/master/R-package/demo/cross_validation.R)
* [Multiclass Training/Prediction](https://github.com/lightgbm-org/LightGBM/blob/master/R-package/demo/multiclass.R)
* [Leaf (in)Stability](https://github.com/lightgbm-org/LightGBM/blob/master/R-package/demo/leaf_stability.R)
* [Weight-Parameter Adjustment Relationship](https://github.com/lightgbm-org/LightGBM/blob/master/R-package/demo/weight_param.R)
* [Basic walkthrough of wrappers](https://github.com/lightgbm-org/LightGBM/blob/main/R-package/demo/basic_walkthrough.R)
* [Boosting from existing prediction](https://github.com/lightgbm-org/LightGBM/blob/main/R-package/demo/boost_from_prediction.R)
* [Early Stopping](https://github.com/lightgbm-org/LightGBM/blob/main/R-package/demo/early_stopping.R)
* [Cross Validation](https://github.com/lightgbm-org/LightGBM/blob/main/R-package/demo/cross_validation.R)
* [Multiclass Training/Prediction](https://github.com/lightgbm-org/LightGBM/blob/main/R-package/demo/multiclass.R)
* [Leaf (in)Stability](https://github.com/lightgbm-org/LightGBM/blob/main/R-package/demo/leaf_stability.R)
* [Weight-Parameter Adjustment Relationship](https://github.com/lightgbm-org/LightGBM/blob/main/R-package/demo/weight_param.R)

Testing
-------
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4 changes: 2 additions & 2 deletions R-package/pkgdown/_pkgdown.yml
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Expand Up @@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ site:
repo:
url:
home: https://github.com/lightgbm-org/LightGBM/
source: https://github.com/lightgbm-org/LightGBM/tree/master/R-package/
source: https://github.com/lightgbm-org/LightGBM/tree/main/R-package/
issue: https://github.com/lightgbm-org/LightGBM/issues/
user: https://github.com/

Expand Down Expand Up @@ -48,7 +48,7 @@ navbar:
href: reference/index.html
right:
- icon: fa-github fa-lg
href: https://github.com/lightgbm-org/LightGBM/tree/master/R-package
href: https://github.com/lightgbm-org/LightGBM/tree/main/R-package

reference:
- title: Datasets
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