How to Rollback a Commit in GitHub?

Git is an essential tool for version control, allowing developers to manage changes in their projects. However, mistakes or undesirable changes can sometimes be pushed to your repository. Thankfully, Git offers powerful tools to undo or “rollback” commits when needed.

In this blog, we’ll walk you through the process of rolling back a commit on GitHub, including several methods you can use depending on your situation.

1. Understanding Git Commit Rollback

Rolling back a commit means undoing changes that were made in the repository history. Git offers a variety of options for rollback, each with different consequences:

• Reset: This command changes the current branch’s history. It’s useful if you want to completely discard commits.
• Revert: This creates a new commit that undoes the changes made in a previous commit, preserving the history.
• Checkout: Allows you to undo changes locally or navigate to a specific commit without modifying the history.

2. Method 1: Using git reset

The git reset command is one of the most common ways to rollback commits. It modifies the commit history and can either keep or discard the changes made by the commits.

2.1. Hard Reset: Completely Remove a Commit

If you want to completely remove a commit (or multiple commits) from your project’s history, the git reset command with the --hard option is ideal. This will reset your working directory and staging area to match the state of the commit you’re rolling back to.

1. Identify the commit: Use git log to find the commit hash you want to roll back to. git log
2. Run the hard reset: git reset --hard <commit-hash> This will reset your local branch to the specified commit, discarding all changes made after it.
3. Push changes to GitHub: After resetting locally, you’ll need to force-push the changes to GitHub. git push origin <branch-name> --force

2.2. Soft Reset: Keep Changes in Working Directory

If you want to keep your changes in the working directory (uncommitted) but remove the commit from history, use git reset --soft:

git reset --soft <commit-hash>

This method is helpful if you realize that the commit you want to undo was a mistake, but you want to retain the work for further editing.

3. Method 2: Using git revert

While git reset rewrites history, git revert creates a new commit that undoes the changes made in a previous commit. This is a safer option for shared branches, as it doesn’t alter the commit history.

3.1. Reverting a Single Commit

1. Identify the commit: Use git log to find the commit hash. git log
2. Revert the commit: git revert <commit-hash>
3. Push the changes: After the revert, a new commit is created. Push this commit to GitHub: git push origin <branch-name>

This method is particularly useful when you need to undo a commit in a public repository while keeping the history intact.

4. Method 3: Using git checkout (for Undoing Local Changes)

Sometimes, you may want to undo changes in your local working directory without modifying the commit history. You can use git checkout for this purpose.

1. Undo changes in a specific file: git checkout -- <file-name>
2. Undo all changes in the working directory: To discard all changes, resetting the working directory to match the latest commit: git checkout -- .

5. Best Practices for Rollback

When deciding which method to use, it’s essential to consider the impact of your rollback on others working on the repository:

• Use git reset with caution: Since it rewrites history, it can be disruptive to other developers if the branch has already been shared. Always communicate with your team before using git reset.
• Prefer git revert for public repositories: This method preserves history and ensures that you don’t disrupt the work of others.
• Backup before rollback: Always make a backup of your repository or create a new branch before performing any rollback operation, especially if you’re using force-push.

6. Conclusion

Rolling back a commit in GitHub is a common but powerful operation. Whether you’re using git reset, git revert, or git checkout, it’s important to choose the method that aligns with your workflow and preserves your project’s integrity.

Remember to always test your changes locally before pushing them to GitHub, and communicate with your team when rewriting commit history to avoid conflicts.

By following these best practices, you can confidently manage your commits and ensure a smooth version control experience.