# This repo uses `master` as the default branch — never assume `main` exists

## What it says

This repository uses `master` as the default branch name, NOT `main`. Every `git fetch`, every new-branch base, every PR/MR target, every clone URL must reference `origin/master`. Do NOT assume `main` exists.

## Why

The repo was initialized with `master` as its primary branch and has never renamed it to `main`. Scripts that default to `main` (e.g., `git checkout main`, `git push origin main`, GitHub Actions workflows that reference `refs/heads/main`) will silently fail or push to a non-existent ref. The user's explicit choice is to keep `master` because renaming the default branch across all CI configs and remote mirrors is more cost than benefit.

## Required patterns

- `git fetch origin master` (not `main`)
- `git switch -c tier2/<track-name> origin/master` (base new branches off `origin/master`)
- `git push origin master` (only the user pushes, but if the agent must reference the target, it's `master`)
- CI / pre-push scripts: target `master`, not `main`
- Documentation: when citing the default branch, write `master`

## Tier 2 autonomous context

In Tier 2 autonomous mode (per `conductor/tier2/commands/tier-2-auto-execute.md:35-36`), the protocol opens with:

1. `git fetch origin master`
2. `git switch -c tier2/<track-name> origin/master`

NOT `git checkout` (banned) and NOT `origin/main`.