Update software process

- Use "main" branch instead of "master"
- Clarify how to test docs locally

Author: rly

.github/PULL_REQUEST_TEMPLATE/release.md

@@ -8,10 +8,9 @@ Prepare for release of hdmf-common-schema [version]
 - [ ] Update the version string in `docs/source/conf.py` and `common/namespace.yaml` (remove "-alpha" suffix)
 - [ ] Update `docs/source/conf.py` as needed
 - [ ] Update release notes (set release date) in `docs/source/format_release_notes.rst` and any other docs as needed
-- [ ] Test docs locally (`cd docs; make fulldoc`)
+- [ ] Test docs locally (`cd docs; make fulldoc`) where the hdmf-common-schema submodule in the local version of HDMF
+  is fully up-to-date with the head of the main branch.
 - [ ] Push changes to this PR and make sure all PRs to be included in this release have been merged
-- [ ] Point the HDMF submodule to this branch in the HDMF branch corresponding to this schema version and check
-  that HDMF tests succeed
 - [ ] Check that the readthedocs build for this PR succeeds (build latest to pull the new branch, then activate and
   build docs for new branch): https://readthedocs.org/projects/hdmf-common-schema/builds/
 

docs/source/software_process.rst

@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ Making a Pull Request
 Actions to take on each PR that modifies the schema and does not prepare the schema for a public release
 (this is also in the `GitHub PR template`_):
 
-If the current schema version on "master" is a public release, then:
+If the current schema version on "main" is a public release, then:
 
 1. Update the version string in ``docs/source/conf.py`` and ``common/namespace.yaml`` to the next version with the
    suffix "-alpha"
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ Always:
 Documentation or internal changes to the repo (i.e., changes that do not affect the schema files)
 do not need to be accompanied with a version bump or addition to the release notes.
 
-.. _`GitHub PR template`: https://github.com/hdmf-dev/hdmf-common-schema/blob/master/.github/PULL_REQUEST_TEMPLATE.md
+.. _`GitHub PR template`: https://github.com/hdmf-dev/hdmf-common-schema/blob/main/.github/PULL_REQUEST_TEMPLATE.md
 
 
 Merging PRs and Making Releases
@@ -27,22 +27,22 @@ Merging PRs and Making Releases
 such as "-alpha". The current "dev" branch of HDMF and all HDMF releases MUST point to a public release of
 hdmf-common-schema. All schema that use hdmf-common-schema as a submodule MUST also point only to public releases.
 
-**Internal release**: a state of the schema "master" branch where the version string ends with "-alpha".
+**Internal release**: a state of the schema "main" branch where the version string ends with "-alpha".
 
-The default branch of hdmf-common-schema is "master". **The "master" branch holds the bleeding edge version of
+The default branch of hdmf-common-schema is "main". **The "main" branch holds the bleeding edge version of
 the hdmf-common schema specification.**
 
-PRs should be made to "master". Every PR should include an update to ``docs/source/format_release_notes.rst``.
+PRs should be made to "main". Every PR should include an update to ``docs/source/format_release_notes.rst``.
 If the current version is a public release, then the PR should also update the version of the schema in two places:
 ``docs/source/conf.py`` and ``common/namespace.yaml``. The new version should be the next bugfix/minor/major version
-of the schema with the suffix "-alpha". For example, if the current schema on "master" has version "2.2.0",
+of the schema with the suffix "-alpha". For example, if the current schema on "main" has version "2.2.0",
 then a PR implementing a bug fix should update the schema version from "2.2.0" to "2.2.1-alpha". Appending the "-alpha"
-suffix ensures that any person or API accessing the default "master" branch of the repo containing an internal release
+suffix ensures that any person or API accessing the default "main" branch of the repo containing an internal release
 of the schema receives the schema with a version string that is distinct from public releases of the schema. If the
-current schema on "master" is already an internal release, then the version string does not need to be updated unless
+current schema on "main" is already an internal release, then the version string does not need to be updated unless
 the PR requires an upgrade in the version (e.g., from bugfix to minor).
 
-HDMF should contain a branch and PR that tracks the "master" branch of hdmf-common-schema. Before
+HDMF should contain a branch and PR that tracks the "main" branch of hdmf-common-schema. Before
 a public release of hdmf-common-schema is made, this HDMF branch should be checked to ensure that when the new release
 is made, the branch can be merged without issue.
 
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@ suffix and the documentation and release notes should be updated as needed (see
 
 The current "dev" branch of HDMF and all HDMF releases MUST always point to a public release of hdmf-common-schema. If
 a public release contains an internally released version of hdmf-common-schema, e.g., from an untagged commit on the
-"master" branch, then it will be difficult to find the version (commit) of hdmf-common-schema that was used to create
+"main" branch, then it will be difficult to find the version (commit) of hdmf-common-schema that was used to create
 an HDMF file when the schema is not cached.
 
 Making a Release Checklist
@@ -66,17 +66,16 @@ Before merging:
 4. Update the version string in ``docs/source/conf.py`` and ``common/namespace.yaml`` (remove "-alpha" suffix)
 5. Update ``docs/source/conf.py`` as needed
 6. Update release notes (set release date) in ``docs/source/format_release_notes.rst`` and any other docs as needed
-7. Test docs locally (``cd docs; make fulldoc``)
+7. Test docs locally (``cd docs; make fulldoc``) where the hdmf-common-schema submodule in the local version of HDMF
+   is fully up-to-date with the head of the main branch.
 8. Push changes to a new PR and make sure all PRs to be included in this release have been merged. Add
    ``?template=release.md`` to the PR URL to auto-populate the PR with this checklist.
-9. Point the HDMF submodule to this branch in the HDMF branch corresponding to this schema version and check
-   that HDMF tests succeed
-10. Check that the readthedocs build for this PR succeeds (build latest to pull the new branch, then activate and
-    build docs for new branch): https://readthedocs.org/projects/hdmf-common-schema/builds/
+9. Check that the readthedocs build for this PR succeeds (build latest to pull the new branch, then activate and
+   build docs for new branch): https://readthedocs.org/projects/hdmf-common-schema/builds/
 
 After merging:
 
-1. Create a new git tag. Pull the latest master branch locally, run ``git tag [version] --sign``, copy and paste the
+1. Create a new git tag. Pull the latest main branch locally, run ``git tag [version] --sign``, copy and paste the
    release notes into the tag message, and run ``git push --tags``.
 2. On the `GitHub tags`_ page, click "..." -> "Create release" for the new tag on the right side of the page.
    Copy and paste the release notes into the release message, update the formatting if needed (reST to Markdown),
@@ -90,4 +89,4 @@ This checklist can also be found in the `GitHub release PR template`_.
 The time between merging this PR and creating a new public release should be minimized.
 
 .. _`GitHub tags`: https://github.com/hdmf-dev/hdmf-common-schema/tags
-.. _`GitHub release PR template`: https://github.com/hdmf-dev/hdmf-common-schema/blob/master/.github/PULL_REQUEST_TEMPLATE/release.md
+.. _`GitHub release PR template`: https://github.com/hdmf-dev/hdmf-common-schema/blob/main/.github/PULL_REQUEST_TEMPLATE/release.md