Deleting remote master branch, refused due to being the current branch

Question

How do I delete a remote master branch from GitHub/Bitbucket?

I'm trying:

# git push bb --delete master
remote: bb/acl: user is allowed. accepted payload.[K
remote: error: refusing to delete the current branch: refs/heads/master[K
To ssh://[email protected]/user/reponame.git
 ! [remote rejected] master (deletion of the current branch prohibited)
error: failed to push some refs to 'ssh://[email protected]/user/reponame.git' 

Also I tried

git push bb :master

But all this does not work.

Loch

possible duplicate of I cant delete a remote master branch on git – Phosphorylase

@cirosantilli So what should I do? – Loch

If you agree with the duplicate status, it is best to make an edit and say you agree. If you disagree, please explain on a comment why you disagree. I have already flagged, so it is already on a review list for "big rep" poeple to vote upon duplicate status. In any case, even if marked as duplicate you won't lose any rep. – Phosphorylase

@cirosantilli I cannot find button, which allows me to agree. – Loch

There is no specific button, I meant just edit the post. But a comment works too, so need anymore. – Phosphorylase

Answer 1

Note: for Bitbucket, you would change the default branch by accessing the settings of your repository, and changing the branch at the "Main branch" combo box.

Once the main branch is no longer master, then you can push and remove master.

MarsAndBack confirms in the comments this applies to GitHub as well.

Bortz

FYI now in 2020 this is only possible for the admin of the repo (which might not be you!) – Masuria

@Masuria Good to know indeed. I suppose if you are the owner of the repository, you would be able to perform this operation. – Bortz

This applied to Github as well. After I set default branch to something else, I was able to delete the original branch. – Olette

@MarsAndBack Thank you for this feedback. I have included your comment in the answer for more visibility. – Bortz

This requires to push another branch to remove the master and bitbucket automatically creates master branch with .gitignore file as a first commit upon a repo creation. You have to deselect Include '.gitignore' to avoid that in first place. – Brittaniebrittany

@Brittaniebrittany OK. "deselect Include .gitignore" to avoid that .gitignore to be created. Makes sense. – Bortz

Answer 2

In the settings block on the options tap in the settings page (well, just click on the Settings tab on your GitHub repository page), you are able to change the default branch (you need to have the other default branch on GitHub as well).

After you have done that, you are able to remove it:

$ git push bb :master

Sawyor

And you have to be the administrator to be able to make such changes. – Amadou

Answer 3

Before deleting a branch, you have to make sure that the branch being deleted is not the default branch. In Github, go to repository settings:

Find Default branch and switch the default branch:

Now you can run the following to delete the remote branch.

git push origin --delete <branch-name>

Lilla

Answer 4

In 2021:

• go to Repository Settings
  
• scroll down to Advanced
• scroll down to Main Branch
• choose the new branch from the dropdown

Then, run your git change command, eg git push bb --delete master

or, in my case, git push origin :master main

Note: You'll have to be the repository's administrator to make changes like this.

Cameroun

Answer 5

I did it :

1. create a new branch.

2. change it to main branch ( need refresh )

3. remove master

in BitBucket goto repository details then Advanced then change main branch

then you can delete master from branches in main menu

then you can create master again from your one of branches then reconfigure Master branch as master

Pazit