Git Reset - Shell/Bash

Git reset is a powerful command that allows you to undo or revert changes made to your repository. This command is commonly used to reset a repository to a certain commit or branch, to remove unwanted changes, and to revert changes before they are pushed to a remote repository.

Basic Syntax

git reset [option] commit

The basic syntax of the git reset command consists of the control command reset, an option, and the commit ID that you want to reset to. There are three different options available with git reset.

• --soft: This option resets the HEAD to the specified commit, but leaves the changes staged.
• --mixed: This option resets the HEAD and the changes staged, but leaves the changes in the working directory.
• --hard: This option resets the HEAD, the changes staged, and the changes in the working directory. This option permanently discards any changes that have been made after the specified commit.

Resetting to a Specific Commit

To reset your repository to a specific commit, you need to specify the commit ID that you want to reset to.

git reset commitID

This command resets your repository to the specified commit. All changes made after this commit are removed. If you want to keep the changes after this commit, use the --soft option.

git reset --soft commitID

Removing Unwanted Changes

You can also use the git reset command to remove unwanted changes from your repository. This is useful when you have made multiple changes but want to keep only some of them.

git reset HEAD filename

This command removes the changes made to the specified file from the staging area. The changes are not permanently discarded and can be retrieved using the git checkout command.

git reset --hard

This command removes all changes made to your repository and resets it to the last commit. This operation is permanent and cannot be undone. Use this command with caution.

Conclusion

The git reset command is a powerful tool for undoing and reverting changes made to your repository. It requires some caution when using, especially when using the --hard option. With this command and its options, you can easily reset your repository to a specific commit, remove unwanted changes, and revert changes before they are pushed to a remote repository.