How to Revert a Pull in Git?

Sometimes, after pulling changes from a remote repository, you may find issues such as merge conflicts, unexpected code changes, or broken functionality. In such cases, you may need to revert the effects of the pull operation to restore your local repository to its previous state.

This blog will guide you through the process of reverting a pull in Git effectively while maintaining a clean and functional repository.

Understanding git pull

The git pull command combines two operations:

1. Fetch: Retrieves the latest changes from the remote repository.
2. Merge: Merges the fetched changes into your local branch.

When you revert a pull, you’re essentially undoing the merge step to restore your branch to its prior state.

---

Methods to Revert a Pull in Git

1. Reverting a Pull with git reset

If you want to completely undo a pull, including discarding the changes, use the git reset command.

Steps:

1. Identify the Commit Before the Pull:
   Use the following command to list recent commits and find the commit hash before the pull: git log Look for the commit hash of the last stable state before the pull.
2. Reset to the Previous Commit:
   Use git reset to move your branch to the previous commit: git reset --hard <commit-hash> Replace <commit-hash> with the hash of the commit before the pull.
3. Discard Changes from the Pull:
   This operation removes all the changes introduced by the pull from your working directory.

---

2. Reverting a Pull with git revert

If you want to undo the pull while keeping a history of changes, use git revert.

Steps:

1. Revert the Merge Commit:
   Use the following command to revert the merge commit created by the pull: git revert -m 1 <merge-commit-hash>
   • Replace <merge-commit-hash> with the hash of the merge commit created by the pull.
   • The -m 1 option specifies the parent branch to keep (typically the branch you were on before the pull).
2. Commit the Revert:
   Git will create a new commit to revert the merge. You may need to resolve conflicts during this process.

---

3. Stashing Changes Before the Pull

If you pulled changes while you had uncommitted work, you can stash your changes to recover them after reverting the pull.

Steps:

1. Stash Your Changes: git stash
2. Revert the Pull:
   Use either the git reset or git revert method described above.
3. Apply Stashed Changes:
   Reapply your stashed changes: git stash pop

---

Best Practices

1. Commit Your Changes Before Pulling:
   Always commit or stash your work before pulling updates to avoid complications.
2. Use git fetch Before git pull:
   Fetching changes lets you review them before merging, reducing the risk of unexpected issues.
3. Create a Backup Branch:
   Before making significant changes, create a backup branch: git checkout -b backup-branch
4. Communicate with Your Team:
   If you’re working on a shared repository, inform your team about the revert to prevent conflicts.

---

Troubleshooting

1. Merge Conflicts During Revert

If conflicts arise, resolve them manually and then commit the changes:

git add .
git commit -m "Resolved conflicts during revert"

2. Accidental Reset

If you used git reset but need to recover the discarded changes, use the reflog to locate the previous commit:

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

---

Conclusion

Reverting a pull in Git is an important skill for handling unexpected changes or resolving issues introduced during collaboration. By using the git reset or git revert commands appropriately and following best practices, you can maintain a clean and stable repository.

Remember, Git is a powerful tool, and understanding its commands ensures that your version control process remains efficient and effective.