Git reset Command: A Comprehensive Guide

Are you struggling to understand the git reset command? Do you find it difficult to undo your changes or to unstage your files? Fear not, because in this article we will explore git reset and its different options in detail.

What is git reset?

Git reset is a command used to undo or revert changes made to a Git repository. It is used to move the current branch to a specific commit, making it the new HEAD of the branch. This can be used to reset the repository to a previous state or to discard changes made since the last commit.

How to Use git reset?

There are three modes in which you can use git reset:

• Soft: This mode only resets the HEAD of the branch to a previous commit, making the changes made after the commit staged but not discarded. This mode is useful when you want to make some changes to the last commit message or when you want to combine several commits into one.
• Mixed: This mode is similar to soft mode, but it also unstages the changes made after the commit. This mode is useful when you want to unstage some files or changes made to the files.
• Hard: This mode is the most drastic one and it resets the HEAD of the branch to a previous commit, discarding all the changes made after the commit. This mode is useful when you want to discard some changes made to the files or to start from scratch.

Examples

Let’s explore some examples to understand how git reset works:

Resetting the HEAD

To reset the HEAD of the current branch to the previous commit, you can use the following command:

git reset HEAD^

This will reset the HEAD to the previous commit, leaving the changes made to the files still staged.

Soft Reset

To perform a soft reset, you can use the following command:

git reset --soft HEAD^

This will reset the HEAD to the previous commit and make the changes since the commit staged but not discarded. You can then make the changes to the files and commit them again.

Mixed Reset

To perform a mixed reset, you can use the following command:

git reset HEAD^

This will reset the HEAD to the previous commit and unstage the files changed since the commit, while still keeping the changes made to the files intact.

Hard Reset

To perform a hard reset, you can use the following command:

git reset --hard HEAD^

This will reset the HEAD to the previous commit and discard all the changes made since the commit. Be careful when using this mode, as it will permanently delete all the changes made to the files.

Conclusion

Git reset can be a powerful tool to undo or revert changes made to a Git repository. It allows you to move the current branch to a specific commit, making it the new HEAD of the branch. By using the different modes of git reset, you can choose to keep the changes staged, unstaged or discard them altogether.

Remember to use git reset with caution and always make sure to backup your files before making any drastic changes.