How do I undo 'git reset'?

Undoing a git reset can be tricky depending on the type of reset you performed (--soft, --mixed, --hard) and the specific context. Here are steps for each scenario:

1. Soft or Mixed Reset

If you used git reset --soft or git reset --mixed, you can easily undo the reset:

1. Find the Commit SHA Before the Reset:

   • Use the git reflog command to see a history of your commands and their corresponding commit SHAs.

      

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     git reflog
     

- Locate the SHA of the commit before the reset.

1. Reset Back to the Previous Commit:

   • Once you have identified the correct commit SHA, you can reset back to it.

      

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     git reset --soft <commit_SHA>
     

2. Hard Reset

If you used git reset --hard, this is more complex because this type of reset discards changes in the working directory and the staging area.

1. Find the Commit SHA Before the Reset:

   • Use git reflog to identify the commit SHA before the reset.

      

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     git reflog
     

2. Reset Back to the Previous Commit:

   • Reset to the previous commit using the SHA identified.

      

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     git reset --hard <commit_SHA>
     

Example: Undoing a Reset Step-by-Step

1. Run git reflog to Get History:

    

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   git reflog
   

   You might see something like:

    

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   a1b2c3d (HEAD -> main) HEAD@{0}: reset: moving to a1b2c3d
   e4f5g6h HEAD@{1}: commit: Added new feature
   i7j8k9l HEAD@{2}: commit: Fixed bug
   

2. Identify the Commit Before Reset:

   • Let's say you reset to a1b2c3d, and the commit before that was e4f5g6h.

3. Undo the Reset:

   • To undo, you would reset back to e4f5g6h.

      

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     git reset --hard e4f5g6h
     

Notes:

• Data Loss Risk: If you performed a hard reset and had uncommitted changes, they are likely lost unless you can recover them from a backup or a stash.
• Backup and Caution: Always ensure you have a backup or use stashes (git stash) before performing potentially destructive operations like git reset --hard.

By carefully using git reflog, you can navigate through your command history and correct the effects of a reset.

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