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Git & CI/CDIT series

9 git commands to undo mistakes

The scariest Git moments are almost always recoverable. Nine commands to undo mistakes, from a wrong edit to a commit you thought was gone.

Quick reference

Not committed yet — Changes still in the working tree

# Throw away local changes to one file. It is gone, so be sure.
git restore file.txt
# Unstage a file but keep your edits.
git restore --staged file.txt
# Park all changes to deal with later. git stash pop brings them back.
git stash

Already committed — Fix the last commit or go back

# Fix the last commit message or add a forgotten file.
git commit --amend
# Undo the last commit, keep the changes staged.
git reset --soft HEAD~1
# Undo a commit by adding an opposite one. Safe when pushed.
git revert <hash>

When it looks lost — The safety nets

# Every place HEAD has been. Your time machine.
git reflog
# Restore one file from any past commit.
git checkout <hash> -- file
# Pull one commit from another branch to here.
git cherry-pick <hash>

Explained

Not committed yet

git restore file.txt throws away local changes to one file, back to the last commit. The change is gone, so be sure first. git restore --staged file.txt unstages a file but keeps your edits. The modern replacement for git reset HEAD file. git stash parks all your uncommitted changes and gives you a clean tree. git stash pop brings them back. Perfect when you need to switch branches in a hurry.

Already committed

git commit --amend fixes the most recent commit: a typo in the message, or a file you forgot to add. Only before you push, since it rewrites that commit. git reset --soft HEAD~1 undoes the last commit but keeps the changes staged, ready to recommit differently. --mixed keeps them unstaged; --hard throws them away. git revert <hash> undoes a commit by creating a new one that reverses it. This is the safe choice on a shared branch, because it does not rewrite history.

When it looks lost

git reflog shows every position HEAD has had, even commits no longer on any branch. This is how you recover from a bad reset. git checkout <hash> -- file restores a single file from any past commit without touching anything else. git cherry-pick <hash> copies one commit from another branch onto your current one.

The rule that calms everyone down: once something is committed, Git keeps it for weeks in the reflog, even if no branch points to it.

In one line

Committed work is rarely lost. reflog remembers for weeks. Breathe, then recover.

When you panic

git reflog

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