How to Undo the Most Recent Local Commits in Git

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Іf you’ve accidentally committed the wrong files to your local Git repository and haven’t yet pushed the commit to the server, don’t worry—Git provides several ways to undo your most recent local commits. Below, we’ll explore the most common and effective methods to fix this issue.

1. Undo the Last Commit but Keep Changes in Your Working Directory**
If you want to undo the last commit but keep all the changes in your working directory (so you can review or modify them before recommitting), use the following command:

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git reset --soft HEAD~1

- What it does: This command moves the `HEAD` pointer back to the previous commit, but it leaves your changes staged and your working directory untouched.
- When to use it: Use this when you want to rework your commit message or add/remove files before committing again.

2. Undo the Last Commit and Unstage Changes**
If you want to undo the last commit and unstage all the changes (but still keep them in your working directory), use:

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git reset HEAD~1

- What it does: This command resets the `HEAD` to the previous commit and unstages all changes, but it doesn’t modify your working directory.
- When to use it: Use this when you want to completely rework your changes before committing again.

3. Undo the Last Commit and Discard All Changes**
If you want to completely undo the last commit and discard all changes in your working directory, use:

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git reset --hard HEAD~1

- What it does: This command resets the `HEAD` to the previous commit and discards all changes in your working directory and staging area.
- When to use it: Use this when you want to completely remove the last commit and all associated changes.

4. Undo Multiple Commits
If you need to undo multiple commits, you can specify how many commits to undo by replacing `1` with the number of commits you want to revert. For example, to undo the last 3 commits:

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git reset --soft HEAD~3

- What it does: This command moves the `HEAD` pointer back by 3 commits, keeping all changes in your working directory.
- When to use it: Use this when you need to undo multiple commits but keep the changes for further editing.

5. Create a New Commit That Reverts the Changes**
If you’ve already pushed the commit to the server or want to preserve the commit history, you can create a new commit that reverts the changes:

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git revert HEAD

- What it does: This command creates a new commit that undoes the changes made in the last commit.
- When to use it: Use this when you want to maintain a clean commit history and avoid rewriting it.

6. Check the Commit History
Before undoing any commits, it’s a good idea to review your commit history to ensure you’re targeting the correct commit. Use the following command to view the commit history:

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git log --oneline

- What it does: This command displays a concise list of recent commits, including their commit hashes and messages.
- When to use it: Use this to confirm which commit(s) you want to undo.

7. Recover a Deleted Commit
If you accidentally reset a commit and want to recover it, you can use the `git reflog` command to find the commit hash and reset back to it:

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git reflog
git reset --hard <commit-hash>

- What it does: The `reflog` shows a history of all actions (including resets), and you can use it to recover lost commits.
- When to use it: Use this if you’ve lost a commit and need to restore it.

Best Practices
- Always double-check: Before running any reset or revert commands, review your commit history using `git log` or `git reflog`.
- Use `--soft` or `--mixed` first: These options are safer than `--hard` because they don’t discard your changes.
- Avoid rewriting pushed history: If you’ve already pushed the commit, prefer `git revert` to avoid conflicts for other collaborators.

Summary
Here’s a quick reference table for undoing commits:

| Command | Effect |
|-----------------------------|------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| `git reset --soft HEAD~1` | Undo commit, keep changes staged |
| `git reset HEAD~1` | Undo commit, unstage changes |
| `git reset --hard HEAD~1` | Undo commit, discard all changes |
| `git revert HEAD` | Create a new commit that undoes the last commit |
| `git log --oneline` | View commit history |
| `git reflog` | Recover lost commits |

By following these steps, you can confidently undo local commits in Git and keep your repository clean and organized. Whether you need to rework a commit, discard changes, or revert a mistake, Git provides the tools to help you fix errors efficiently.