What is the difference between git reset and git revert?

git reset moves the branch tip to an earlier commit and discards the later commits, rewriting history — use it only on local, unpushed commits. git revert creates a new commit that undoes a previous one while preserving history, so it is the safe choice for commits already pushed to a shared remote.

How do I undo a commit that I already pushed to a remote repository?

Use git revert [hash] to add a new commit that cancels the pushed commit while keeping history intact for collaborators. Avoid git reset --hard plus a force push on shared branches, because rewriting public history can break other people’s clones.

What is the difference between git reset --soft, --mixed, and --hard?

git reset --soft [hash] moves the branch tip but keeps your changes staged. git reset --mixed [hash] (the default) keeps the changes in your working directory but unstages them. git reset --hard [hash] discards all changes after the target commit permanently.

How do I keep my changes while resetting a commit?

Stash first, then reset, then restore: run git stash , git reset --hard [hash] , and git stash pop . Alternatively, use git reset --soft [hash] to move the tip while leaving your changes staged.

How do I find the commit hash to revert or reset to?

Run git log to list the commit history. Each entry shows a 40-character hash to the right of the word commit ; copy that hash and pass it to git revert [hash] or git reset [hash] .

Reverting Commits in GitHub

26 Aug 2022 (updated: 24 Aug 2026) / 14 minutes to read

Elena Daehnhardt

How to Undo Git Commits with reset, revert, and rebase

In my previous posts “GIT in 10 minutes” and Collaboration in GitHub, I have covered the basics of Git setup, a few workflow commands to get started using Git (version control system), and collaborative work, including operations with forks and pull requests. As promised, I will go into more detail about working with Git repositories. Here, I focus on reverting your changes. Sometimes it’s good to step back and think about something different, right?

Git Fork-and-Pull-Request Workflow Setup

🔒 Subscribe to keep reading.

git reset vs git revert: When to Use Each

🔒 Subscribe to keep reading.

An example

🔒 Subscribe to keep reading.

Conclusion: reset vs revert vs rebase for Undoing Commits

🔒 Subscribe to keep reading.

References

🔒 Subscribe to keep reading.

You've hit a Deep Dive tutorial.

I spend dozens of hours researching, coding, and breaking things to write these guides. This content is free, but reserved for my subscriber community. Drop your email below to unlock this guide (and all past/future deep dives):

Already a subscriber? Use the magic link from your last newsletter, or reset your password.

New subscribers get an inbox mail: Set a password to unlock articles. The form does not log you in — use the same email afterwards.

Reverting Commits in GitHub

📚 This post is part of the "Git Survival Guide" series

How to Undo Git Commits with reset, revert, and rebase

Git Fork-and-Pull-Request Workflow Setup

git reset vs git revert: When to Use Each

An example

Conclusion: reset vs revert vs rebase for Undoing Commits

References

References

Citation

Reverting Commits in GitHub

📚 This post is part of the "Git Survival Guide" series

How to Undo Git Commits with reset, revert, and rebase

Git Fork-and-Pull-Request Workflow Setup

git reset vs git revert: When to Use Each

An example

Conclusion: reset vs revert vs rebase for Undoing Commits

References

You're in

References

Citation