How to Revert to a Previous Commit in Git

Learn how to revert to a previous commit in Git. This guide covers git reset, git revert, and git checkout to safely undo changes. Sometimes, you may need to undo changes and revert your project to a previous commit in Git.

This guide explains different methods to get the job done so without any further due lets dive in.

Methods to Revert to a Previous Commit

There are multiple ways to revert to a previous commit in Git and below are 3 methods to revert to a previous commit in Git.

The method you choose depends on whether you want to keep a record of the revert or completely erase changes. Below are the most commonly used techniques:

1. Using git reset (Moves HEAD and Deletes History)

If you want to completely remove commits and reset your branch to a previous commit:

git reset --hard <commit-hash>

• --hard: Removes all changes after the specified commit.
• --soft: Keeps changes staged but moves HEAD back.
• --mixed: Unstages changes but keeps them in the working directory.

Example:

git reset --hard abc123

This resets the repository to the commit with hash abc123 and deletes all later commits.

⚠️ Warning: This will remove changes permanently unless backed up.

2. Using git revert (Creates a New Commit)

If you want to undo changes but keep a record of them, use:

git revert <commit-hash>

This creates a new commit that negates the changes from the specified commit.

Example:

git revert abc123

This adds a new commit that reverses abc123, keeping project history clean.

3. Using git checkout (Temporary Switch to an Older Commit)

If you only need to view or test a previous commit:

git checkout <commit-hash>

To return to the latest commit:

git checkout main

4. Using git reflog to Recover Lost Commits

If you reset your branch and lost commits, you can recover them:

git reflog

Find the lost commit’s hash and use:

git reset --hard <commit-hash>

Conclusion

Reverting to a previous commit in Git can be done safely using git reset, git revert, or git checkout. Choose the method that best suits your needs to avoid data loss while maintaining project integrity.

Read our last article of How to comment out multiple lines in python.