27%

Oops - How to Undo Anything

Everyone makes mistakes. You'll edit the wrong file, commit something you didn't mean to, or just want to go back to how things were five minutes ago. Git has several tools for these situations, and knowing them will save you a lot of stress.

Previously, you learned that files move through three areas: Working Directory → Staging Area → Repository. The undo commands in this chapter move files in the opposite direction, depending on which step you want to reverse:

  Working Directory          Staging Area             Repository
 ┌──────────────────┐      ┌──────────────┐      ┌─────────────────────┐
 │                  │      │              │      │                     │
 │   your edits     │<─────│  staged      │<─────│      committed      │
 │                  │      │  changes     │      │      snapshots      │
 └──────────────────┘      └──────────────┘      └─────────────────────┘
          │                       │                         │
          │  git restore          │  git restore --staged   │   git revert
          │  (discard edits)      │  (unstage, keep, edits) │   (new commit that
          │                       │                         │   reverses a
          v                       │                         │   previous one)
      last commit                 v                         v
      version                  back to                    new "undo"
                               working dir                commit

Learn Git in a Day

Everything you need, nothing you don't

Enroll now to unlock all content and receive all future updates for free.

Unlock now ~~$9.99~~$7.49

Hurry! This limited time offer ends in:

To redeem this offer, copy the coupon code below and apply it at checkout:

Learn More

Previous Next