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Git Reset

2 min read

We use git reset to revert to a specific commit in a Git repository. There are a couple of options depending on what you want to achieve:

  • undoing changes
  • resetting to a previous state.

Undoing Changes with Revert

If you want to create a new commit that undoes the changes made by a specific commit, you can use git revert. This is useful when you want to keep a record of the fact that you’ve undone a commit.

  1. Find the commit hash: First, find the hash of the commit you want to revert to. You can do this using git log, which shows a history of commits along with their hashes.

    git log

  2. Revert the commit: Use git revert followed by the commit hash of the commit you want to revert.

    git revert <commit-hash>

    Replace <commit-hash> with the actual hash of the commit you want to revert.

  3. Resolve conflicts (if any): Git might prompt you to resolve any conflicts that occur during the revert process. Once conflicts are resolved (if any), Git will create a new commit that undoes the changes introduced by the specified commit.

Resetting to a Specific Commit

If you want to reset your branch to exactly match the state of a specific commit, you can use git reset. This is a more forceful operation and should be used with caution, especially if the commit you’re resetting to is not the most recent one.

  1. Find the commit hash: Again, find the hash of the commit you want to reset to using git log.

  2. Reset to the commit: Use git reset --hard followed by the commit hash.

    git reset --hard <commit-hash>

    Replace <commit-hash> with the actual hash of the commit you want to reset to.

    Warning: git reset --hard will remove any local changes you have that are not committed. Use it carefully to avoid losing work.

Summary

  • git revert: Creates a new commit that undoes changes from a specific commit.

    git revert <commit-hash>

  • git reset —hard: Resets the current branch to the specified commit, discarding all changes after that commit.

    git reset --hard <commit-hash>

Choose the method that best fits your situation. If you’re unsure, git revert is safer because it leaves a record of the undo operation in your commit history.

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