Git Revert: Common Use Cases

A few scenario that I’ve met when reverting code using git.

Scenario 1: Undoing Changes in the Workspace

To discard changes in the workspace and return to the original state, use git checkout — <file>

Scenario 2: Rectifying Errors in the Staging Area

If changes are mistakenly staged, use git reset HEAD <file> to remove them from the staging area.

This action brings us back to the Scenario 1, where we can discard unwanted changes easily.

Scenario 3: Reverting Changes in the Version History

If changes are committed but not yet pushed to the remote repository. Simply revert to the previous version using git reset —hard HEAD^