How do I revert a git commit?

Introduction

Git, the widely used version control system, provides powerful features to manage changes in software projects. One essential skill for any developer working with Git is the ability to revert a commit. Whether you need to undo a mistaken commit or remove an unwanted change from your repository’s history, understanding how to revert commits is crucial. In this blog post, we will walk you through the process of reverting a Git commit, ensuring your project stays on track and your version history remains clean.

Identify the commit to revert

Before you can revert a commit, you need to identify the specific commit you want to undo. The commit can be identified by its unique hash, typically a long alphanumeric string, or through other references like branch names or tags. To view the commit history in your repository, open your terminal or command prompt, navigate to your project’s directory, and use the git log command. The log will display the commit history, including the commit hashes, commit messages, and other relevant information.

git log

Create a new reverting commit

Once you’ve identified the commit you wish to revert, the next step is to create a new commit that undoes the changes introduced by the original commit. Git provides the git revert command to generate this new commit automatically. The git revert command creates a new commit that contains the inverse changes of the specified commit.

To revert a commit, use the following command:

git revert <commit-hash>

Replace <commit-hash> with the actual hash of the commit you want to revert. After executing this command, Git will open your default text editor to create a commit message for the revert. Save and close the editor once you’ve entered an appropriate message.

Push the reverting commit

After creating the reverting commit, you need to push it to the remote repository. Use the git push command to send your changes to the remote server:

git push origin <branch-name>

Replace <branch-name> with the name of the branch you want to push the revert commit to. This command ensures that your repository’s remote branch reflects the changes made by the new commit, reverting the undesired changes introduced by the original commit.

Verify the reverted commit

To confirm that the revert was successful, you can review the commit history again. Use the git log command to see the updated commit history, ensuring that the commit you wanted to revert is no longer present. Additionally, inspect the project’s codebase or run tests to verify that the unintended changes have been successfully undone.

Alternatives to reverting

While reverting a commit is a commonly used method to fix mistakes in Git, there are alternative approaches you can employ depending on the nature of the error or the desired outcome. Here are a few additional methods you can consider:

Reset

The git reset command allows you to move the branch pointer to a specific commit, effectively discarding any commits that come after it. This method is suitable when you want to completely remove a commit and all subsequent commits from your repository’s history. However, exercise caution when using git reset as it modifies the commit history and can potentially impact collaborators who have already pulled the changes.

To reset the branch to a specific commit, use the following command:

git reset <commit-hash>

Replace <commit-hash> with the hash of the commit you want to reset to. By default, git reset keeps the changes from the discarded commits as uncommitted changes in your working directory. If you want to remove those changes entirely, add the —hard flag at the end of the command.

Cherry pick

If the mistake you need to fix is contained within a single commit and you want to selectively apply that commit to another branch, git cherry-pick can be a useful option. It allows you to choose specific commits from one branch and apply them to another, independently of the commit history.

To cherry-pick a commit, use the following command:

git cherry-pick <commit-hash>

Replace <commit-hash> with the hash of the commit you want to apply. Git will create a new commit on the target branch, replicating the changes introduced by the cherry-picked commit. This method is particularly handy when you want to bring specific changes from one branch to another without merging the entire branch.

Rebase

Git rebase is another powerful technique that allows you to modify the commit history by incorporating or reordering commits is. It’s useful for cleaning up the history, squashing commits, or applying changes from one branch to another. To edit all the commits after a certain commit, run this command:

git rebase -i <commit-hash>

Replace <commit-hash> with the commit before the one you want to modify. This will open an interactive window where you can choose which commits to modify, reorder, squash, or drop. Follow the on-screen instructions to make the necessary changes.

You can also use the following command to, for example, rebase the last 5 commits in main interactively:

git rebase -i HEAD~5

It’s important to note that rebasing changes the commit history and should be used with caution, especially when collaborating with others. If you have already pushed the commits you want to modify, it’s generally recommended to avoid rebasing and consider alternative solutions like reverting or creating new commits if you are working on a branch that is shared with others.

Conclusion

Understanding how to revert a Git commit is an essential skill for developers working with version control systems. By following the steps outlined in this guide, you can easily undo unwanted changes and maintain a clean version history for your projects. Remember to always double-check the commits you wish to revert and verify that the revert commit has effectively removed the undesired changes.

While reverting a commit is the most common method for fixing mistakes in Git, understanding alternative approaches expands your toolkit and enables you to choose the most appropriate solution for different scenarios. Whether you need to discard commits, selectively apply changes, or modify the commit history, Git offers various commands such as git reset, git cherry-pick, and git rebase to address different needs. Select the method that aligns best with your requirements and be mindful of the potential impact on your project and collaborators.

With Git’s powerful capabilities, you can confidently navigate through your project’s history and keep your codebase in a pristine state.