How to Undo a Commit on a Branch- A Step-by-Step Guide to Reverting Changes in Git

How to revert a commit from a branch is a common question among Git users, especially when mistakes are made or changes need to be undone. This article will guide you through the steps to safely revert a commit in a branch without affecting the rest of your project.

In Git, reverting a commit is a process of undoing the changes made by a specific commit. This can be useful in various scenarios, such as correcting a bug, undoing unintended changes, or reverting to a previous state of the project. However, it is crucial to perform this operation with caution, as it can have significant implications on your codebase.

Here are the steps to revert a commit from a branch in Git:

1. Identify the commit you want to revert:
Before you begin, make sure you know the hash of the commit you want to revert. You can find this by using the `git log` command, which displays a list of commits in your branch. The commit hash is usually a string of letters and numbers following the commit message.

2. Create a new branch:
To prevent any unintended consequences on the original branch, it is advisable to create a new branch before reverting the commit. This ensures that your main branch remains unchanged. Use the following command to create a new branch:

“`bash
git checkout -b revert-branch
“`

Replace `revert-branch` with a name that describes the purpose of this branch.

3. Reset the new branch to the commit before the one you want to revert:
Use the `git reset` command with the `–hard` option to reset the new branch to the commit before the one you want to revert. Replace `commit-hash` with the hash of the commit you want to revert to:

“`bash
git reset –hard commit-hash
“`

This command will discard all commits after the specified commit hash, including the commit you want to revert.

4. Commit the changes:
After resetting the branch, you will see a message indicating that you have uncommitted changes. These changes are the ones that were reverted by the `git reset` command. Commit these changes to your new branch:

“`bash
git commit -m “Revert changes made by commit-hash”
“`

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

5. Push the new branch to the remote repository (optional):
If you want to share the reverted changes with others or integrate them into the main branch, you can push the new branch to the remote repository:

“`bash
git push origin revert-branch
“`

Replace `origin` with the name of your remote repository.

6. Merge or rebase the new branch into the main branch:
Now, you can either merge or rebase the new branch into the main branch. This will incorporate the reverted changes into your main codebase.

To merge the new branch:

“`bash
git checkout main
git merge revert-branch
“`

To rebase the new branch:

“`bash
git checkout main
git rebase revert-branch
“`

Both commands will integrate the reverted changes into the main branch.

By following these steps, you can safely revert a commit from a branch in Git. Always remember to create a new branch and commit the changes before reverting, as this ensures that your original branch remains unchanged and gives you the flexibility to make further modifications if needed.