Скачать или смотреть How to Revert to Previous Commit After Cloning a Repository

Discover the best methods to effectively revert to a previous commit in Git after cloning your repository. This guide simplifies the process for developers of all levels.
---
This video is based on the question https://stackoverflow.com/q/75954476/ asked by the user 'Dmytrq' ( https://stackoverflow.com/u/17137584/ ) and on the answer https://stackoverflow.com/a/75954691/ provided by the user 'matt' ( https://stackoverflow.com/u/341994/ ) at 'Stack Overflow' website. Thanks to these great users and Stackexchange community for their contributions.

Visit these links for original content and any more details, such as alternate solutions, latest updates/developments on topic, comments, revision history etc. For example, the original title of the Question was: How to revert to previous commit after clone?

Also, Content (except music) licensed under CC BY-SA https://meta.stackexchange.com/help/l...
The original Question post is licensed under the 'CC BY-SA 4.0' ( https://creativecommons.org/licenses/... ) license, and the original Answer post is licensed under the 'CC BY-SA 4.0' ( https://creativecommons.org/licenses/... ) license.

If anything seems off to you, please feel free to write me at vlogize [AT] gmail [DOT] com.
---
How to Revert to Previous Commit After Cloning a Repository

Cloning a repository is a crucial step in collaborating on projects using Git, especially when working with platforms like GitHub. However, there are instances when you might face challenges, such as inadvertently cloning a repository that has been mistakenly updated or altered. If you've found yourself in a situation where your cloned repository only contains a readme.md file, and you need to revert to a previous commit to restore your project's files, don't worry! In this guide, we will explore effective ways to achieve exactly that.

Understanding the Problem

When you clone a forked repository that has had significant changes made, it can be frustrating to encounter an empty state or a situation where only minimal files remain. In this instance, you might have tried methods such as git reset or git revert without success. Fear not, as there are straightforward solutions to revert your repository to a previous commit and restore your files.

Solutions to Reverting a Commit

There are two primary approaches to addressing the issue of reverting to a previous commit in Git. Each method serves a different purpose depending on whether you want to erase the changes made in the last commit or keep the contents for further editing:

1. Complete Reset to Previous Commit

If you want to completely discard the changes made in the last commit and revert to the state of the previous commit, you can use the following command:

[[See Video to Reveal this Text or Code Snippet]]

What This Does: This command deletes the last commit and returns your repository to the state it was in with the last good commit. The consequences are significant as the changes made in the most recent commit will be lost forever.

When to Use: Use this when you are sure that the last commit was a mistake and you want to abandon it completely.

2. Soft Reset for Editable Changes

If you'd rather keep the changes from the last commit but want to modify or correct them, you can perform a soft reset:

[[See Video to Reveal this Text or Code Snippet]]

What This Does: This command retains the contents of the last commit in your working directory, allowing you to make edits as necessary before recommitting.

When to Use: This option is ideal when you want to touch up the last commit instead of starting anew. It is especially useful if there were valuable changes amidst the mistakes you want to keep.

Managing Branches for Merge

If you wish to merge your changes after reverting, consider creating a temporary branch first, as indicated in your initial attempts:

Create a Temporary Branch and Restore Changes:

[[See Video to Reveal this Text or Code Snippet]]

Switch Back to Main Branch:

[[See Video to Reveal this Text or Code Snippet]]

Merge Temporary Branch:

[[See Video to Reveal this Text or Code Snippet]]

Make sure to replace <commit_hash> with the actual hash of the previous commit you wish to revert to. It's essential to ensure that you are merging correctly; if you don't see expected results, double-check which files are in your temporary branch and that you're on the correct main branch.

Conclusion

By utilizing either the --hard or --soft reset command, you can effectively revert to a previous commit and restore your repository's intended state. Whichever method you choose will depend on your specific needs—whether it's a complete rollback or retaining editable changes for reconciliation. With these steps, you should be back on track with your project in no time! Happy coding!