pr-branch-non-default

Included in configs: ✅ recommended, 🔒 strict

Sending a PR from a repository’s default branch, commonly main, means that repository will have a hard time pulling in updates from the upstream repository. It’s generally recommended to instead create a new branch per pull request.

”Base” and “Head”

Two terms are useful to know when working with forked repositories and pull requests:

• “Base”: The main repository that receives the pull request.
  • Your local Git clone likely refers to this as “upstream”.
• “Head”: Your fork that is sending the pull request.
  • Your local Git clone likely refers to this as “origin”.

Suggested Steps

GitHub does not provide a way to change the head branch of a pull request. You’ll want to:

1. Create a new branch on the head repository
2. Close the original pull request on GitHub
3. Send a new pull request from that branch

Examples

PR sent from a default main branch:

github-actions

👋 Hi @YourUsername, thanks for the issue! A scan flagged a concern with it. Could you please take a look?

[pr-branch-non-default]

This PR is sent from the head repository’s default branch. Sending a PR from a default branch means the head repository can’t easily be updated after the PR is merged. Sending a PR from a repository’s default branch, commonly main, means that repository will have a hard time pulling in updates from the upstream repository. It’s generally recommended to instead create a new branch per pull request. You’ll need to:

1. Create a new branch on your fork
2. Send a new pull request from that branch
3. Close this pull request

🗺️ This message was posted automatically by OctoGuide: a bot for GitHub repository best practices.

See More

• GitHub Docs: Creating a pull request from a fork
• Rule source
• Rule tests