How to Safely Reset Git to a Previous Commit

How to Safely Reset Git to a Previous Commit

Sometimes, when working on a project with Git, you may want to revert back to a previous commit. This can be done using the git reset command. However, it is important to do this safely to avoid losing any work. In this guide, we will go over how to reset Git to a previous commit safely.

Step 1: Find the Previous Commit

The first step is to find the previous commit you want to reset to. This can be done using the git log command.

$ git log --oneline

This command will show you a list of all the commits in the repository, with the most recent one at the top. Find the commit hash of the previous commit you want to reset to.

commit 1234567 - Updated homepage
commit abcdefg - Added new feature
commit 9876543 - Initial commit

Step 2: Reset to the Previous Commit

Once you have the commit hash, you can use the git reset command to reset to that commit. There are three types of git reset commands: --soft, --mixed, and --hard.

  • --soft will reset the commit, but leave the changes in the working directory.
  • --mixed will reset the commit and unstage any changes, but leave them in the working directory.
  • --hard will reset the commit and discard any changes in the working directory.

For example, to reset to the previous commit using the --mixed option, run the following command:

$ git reset --mixed abcdefg

Step 3: Commit the Changes

After resetting to the previous commit, you will need to commit the changes. This can be done using the git commit command.

 git commit -m "Revert to previous commit"

Step 4: Push the Changes

Finally, push the changes to the remote repository using the git push command.

 git push origin master 

And that’s it! You have safely reset Git to a previous commit.

Conclusion

Resetting Git to a previous commit can be a useful tool when working on a project, but it is important to do it safely to avoid losing any work. By following the steps in this guide, you can reset Git to a previous commit without any issues.

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