Reverting to the last commit in Git is an important skill for developers who need to undo changes and return their project to a previous state. This article will guide you through various approaches to revert to the last commit, detailing each step to ensure you can effectively manage your Git repository.

Reverting to the last commit means discarding the changes made after the last commit and bringing your working directory back to the state it was in at that commit. This is useful when recent changes have introduced errors, and you need to return to a stable state. There are several ways to accomplish this in Git, each with its own use cases and benefits.

Approaches to Revert to Last Commit in Git are mentioned below:

Using `git reset`

`git reset` is a powerful command used to undo changes. It can modify the index, the working directory, and the commit history.

Steps:

1. Navigate to your repository:

cd /path/to/your/repository

2. Check the commit history:

git log --oneline

Identify the commit hash (e.g., `a1b2c3d`) you want to reset to.

3. Hard reset to the last commit:

git reset --hard HEAD^

This command will discard all changes after the last commit, including changes in the working directory and the staging area.

Alternatively, if you have the commit hash:

git reset --hard a1b2c3d

4. Force push (if working on a shared repository):

git push --force

Example Demonstration:

Using `git revert`

`git revert` creates a new commit that undoes the changes from a previous commit.

Steps:

1. Navigate to your repository:

cd /path/to/your/repository

2. Revert the last commit:

git revert HEAD

This command creates a new commit that is the inverse of the last commit.

3. Resolve conflicts (if any):

Follow the on-screen instructions to resolve any merge conflicts, then commit the changes.

4. Push the changes (if working on a shared repository):

git push

Example Demonstration:

Conclusion

Reverting to the last commit is a common task in Git that can be achieved using `git reset`, or `git revert`. Each method has its specific use cases:

• `git reset` is ideal for discarding local changes and resetting the commit history.
• `git revert` is perfect for maintaining history while undoing changes.