How To Revert A Commit in Git (Step-by-Step Guide)

Introduction to Git and Version Control

Git is a distributed version control system designed to help developers track changes in their codebases. It is widely used in software development to collaborate efficiently on projects. Git is open-source and supported by platforms like GitHub, GitLab, and Bitbucket.

One of the essential features of Git is the ability to commit changes, allowing users to take snapshots of their work. However, there are times when developers need to undo a commit due to errors or unwanted changes. This is where Git revert comes in.

What is a Git Commit?

A commit in Git represents a snapshot of the project’s state at a given time. Every commit contains:

A unique commit hash
A commit message describing the changes
References to parent commits (if applicable)

Syntax of Git Commit Command

git commit -m "commit message"

To learn more about commits, check out this guide on Git commits.

What is Git Revert?

Git revert is a command used to undo a specific commit while keeping the project history intact. Instead of deleting the commit, Git revert creates a new commit that reverses the changes from the specified commit.

Syntax of Git Revert Command

git revert <commit-hash>

Key Points to Remember

The original commit remains in the history.
A new commit is created to undo the changes.
It is preferred for shared branches as it does not rewrite history.

Git Revert vs Git Reset

Feature	Git Revert	Git Reset
Effect	Creates a new commit to undo changes	Moves HEAD to a previous commit
Commit History	Preserved	Rewritten
Best for	Shared branches	Local changes
Syntax	`git revert <commit-hash>`	`git reset <commit-hash>`

To understand Git reset in detail, read this guide on Git reset.

Steps to Revert a Commit

Step 1: Find the Commit Hash

Use the git log command to list all commits along with their commit messages and hashes.

git log

The output will show:

commit abc123def456
Author: John Doe <[email protected]>
Date:   Wed Mar 6 12:00:00 2024 +0000

    Fixed a bug in authentication

Step 2: Revert the Commit

Once the commit hash is identified, use the following command:

git revert abc123def456

Step 3: Resolve Conflicts (If Any)

If there are merge conflicts, resolve them manually or use:

git mergetool

Step 4: Edit the Commit Message (Optional)

Git will open a text editor (Vim by default) to edit the commit message. Modify it if necessary and save.

Step 5: Push the Changes

After the commit is reverted, push the changes to the remote repository:

git push origin <branch-name>

Advanced Git Revert Options

1. Revert Without Committing

If you want to revert changes without creating a commit, use:

git revert --no-commit <commit-hash>

This will stage the reverted changes, allowing you to modify them before committing.

2. Reverting a Merge Commit

If you need to revert a merge commit, specify which parent’s changes should be reversed:

git revert -m 1 <merge-commit-hash>

Here, -m 1 indicates which parent commit should be retained.

3. Revert Without Opening an Editor

If you want to avoid editing the commit message, use:

git revert --no-edit <commit-hash>

How To Revert A Commit in Git Example Scenario

Initial Setup

Let’s create a new Git repository and make some commits.

git init my-project
cd my-project
echo "Hello, World!" > intro.txt
git add .
git commit -m "Initial commit"

Making a Change

echo "Adding new content" > intro.txt
git add .
git commit -m "Updated intro.txt"

Finding the Commit Hash

git log --oneline

Output:

abc123 (HEAD -> main) Updated intro.txt
def456 Initial commit

Reverting the Last Commit

git revert abc123

Checking the Log After Reverting

git log --oneline