How to Revert to a Previous Git Commit Without Rewriting History

Introduction

1. Identify the Commit to Revert To

Find the commit hash of the desired state using:

git log --oneline

You’ll see something like this:

a1b2c3d Fix critical bug
d4e5f6g Add experimental feature
h7i8j9k Refactor authentication module
j1k2l3m Initial project setup
        

Suppose you want to revert to commit a1b2c3d and discard everything after it.

2. Create a New Commit That Matches the Old One

Run the following commands:

git checkout a1b2c3d -- .
git commit -m "Revert to previous stable commit a1b2c3d"

This updates the working directory to match the old commit and creates a new commit reflecting this change.

3. Push the New Commit

If you need to sync the repository, push the new commit:

git push origin main

This avoids force-pushing and keeps a clean history.

Alternative Approach: Using Git Reset (If Force Push is Acceptable)

If rewriting history is an option, you can use:

git reset --hard a1b2c3d
git push --force

Warning: This rewrites history and may cause issues for collaborators.

Conclusion

By checking out a previous commit and creating a new one, you:

• Keep the commit history clean.
• Avoid force-pushing.
• Ensure the latest commit is an exact match of the desired state.

This method is a safer and more collaborative way to revert to an older commit without rewriting history. 🚀