♻️ Git Undo: How to Undo Changes in Git (Beginner-Friendly Guide with Examples & FAQ)
🧭 Introduction: Git Undo
Made a mistake in Git? Don’t panic! Git provides powerful tools to undo almost anything — from local edits to commits and even pushed changes.
This guide explains how to undo:
- 📝 Local changes
- 💾 Staged files
- 🔨 Commits
- 🚀 Pushed commits
📌 Why You Need Git Undo Options
| 🛠️ Scenario | 🔙 Git Undo Tool to Use |
|---|---|
| Undo uncommitted file changes | git restore, git checkout |
| Unstage a file | git restore --staged |
| Undo a commit (keep changes) | git reset --soft |
| Undo a commit (remove changes) | git reset --hard |
| Revert a pushed commit safely | git revert |
| View history of changes | git log, git reflog |
🔁 Undoing Local File Changes
🔹 Undo Changes in Working Directory (Not Yet Staged)
git restore filename.txt
📌 Restores the file to its last committed state.
🧪 Example:
git restore index.html
🔹 Undo Changes in All Files
git restore .
This restores all modified files in the current directory tree.
✅ Undoing Staged Changes (Unstage a File)
🔹 Unstage a Specific File
git restore --staged filename.txt
🧪 Example:
git restore --staged login.js
The file stays modified but is removed from the staging area.
🔹 Unstage All Files
git restore --staged .
🔨 Undo Last Commit (Keep or Discard Changes)
🔹 Keep Changes (Undo Commit Only)
git reset --soft HEAD~1
➡️ Moves the last commit back to staging.
🔹 Discard Changes from Last Commit
git reset --hard HEAD~1
⚠️ This removes the last commit and your code changes. Be careful!
🚫 Undo Multiple Commits
Undo the last N commits and discard all changes:
git reset --hard HEAD~3
Undo the last 3 commits and keep the changes as unstaged:
git reset --mixed HEAD~3
🔙 Undo Pushed Commits Safely
🔹 Use git revert (Preferred for Shared Repos)
git revert <commit-hash>
🧪 Example:
git revert abc1234
This creates a new commit that undoes the changes of the specified commit.
🔹 Undo Last Commit and Push (Dangerous!)
git reset --hard HEAD~1
git push --force
⚠️ Only do this in your own branches. For shared repos, this may cause conflicts.
🔍 Viewing History to Undo Precisely
🔹 Show Commit History
git log
🔹 Show All Actions (Including Resets)
git reflog
🧪 Example Output:
7a8e2c3 HEAD@{0}: commit: Fixed login bug
d45f8e1 HEAD@{1}: reset: moving to HEAD~1
...
You can reset to any previous state:
git reset --hard HEAD@{1}
📚 Summary – Git Undo
Git provides multiple ways to undo mistakes safely, based on your situation and workflow.
🔍 Key Takeaways:
- Use
git restoreto undo file changes (staged or unstaged) - Use
git resetto undo commits (soft or hard depending on need) - Use
git revertfor safe undos in shared/pushed repositories - Use
git reflogto view your complete action history
⚙️ Real-World Relevance:
These commands are essential for:
- Debugging mistakes quickly
- Recovering accidentally deleted work
- Collaborating safely on shared codebases
❓ Git Undo – Frequently Asked Questions
How do I undo a file edit before staging?
git restore filename.txt
This brings the file back to the last committed version.
How do I unstage a file?
git restore --staged filename.txt
The file will stay modified but is no longer staged.
How do I undo the last commit but keep changes?
git reset --soft HEAD~1
This removes the last commit but keeps your changes staged.
How do I undo changes permanently?
git reset --hard HEAD
⚠️ This discards all unstaged and staged changes.
What is the difference between revert and reset?
| Command | Use Case | Safe for Team? |
|---|---|---|
reset | Rewrites commit history | ❌ Not safe |
revert | Creates a new commit that cancels a previous one | ✅ Yes |
How do I recover lost commits?
Use:
git reflog
Then:
git reset --hard HEAD@{n}
Replace n with the correct index from reflog output.
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