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Asked: 2024-09-22T10:10:30+05:30 In:

How can I reverse the effects of a Git rebase if I accidentally applied it and want to go back to the original state? What steps should I follow to restore my branch to how it was before the rebase?

Hey everyone! I hope you’re all doing well. I recently had a bit of a mishap with Git and I could really use your help!

I accidentally applied a rebase on my branch and, let’s just say, it did not go as planned. Now I’m in a bit of a pickle and I want to restore my branch to its original state before the rebase. I’ve already checked some documentation, but I’m still feeling a bit confused about the best steps to take.

Can anyone guide me on how exactly I can reverse the effects of this rebase? What commands should I be using, and is there anything specific I should keep in mind to avoid losing any changes? Thanks so much in advance for your advice! 😊

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    2 Answers



    1. Git Rebase Recovery

      How to Reverse a Git Rebase

      Hey there! No worries, we all run into Git issues from time to time. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to restore your branch to its original state before the rebase:

      1. Check Your Git Reflog

      The first step is to use git reflog to see the recent actions on your branches. This will help you find the commit you want to return to.

      git reflog

      2. Identify the Commit

      Look for the commit hash (a long string of numbers and letters) that represents the state of your branch before the rebase. It should be something like:

      abc1234 HEAD@{1}: rebase: ...

      Take note of the hash you want to restore to.

      3. Reset Your Branch

      Now that you have the commit hash, you can use the reset command. Replace abc1234 with your actual hash:

      git reset --hard abc1234

      4. Keep Your Changes (Optional)

      If you want to keep the changes made during the rebase (in case you want to reapply them later), you can use:

      git reset --soft abc1234

      This command will keep your changes staged for the next commit.

      5. Final Check

      After resetting, it’s a good idea to check the status of your branch:

      git status

      Important Notes

      • Using --hard will discard all your changes, so be careful!
      • Always make sure to backup your work before doing any reset.

      Hopefully, this clears things up for you! If you have any more questions or need further assistance, feel free to ask. Good luck! 😊



    2. Restoring your branch to its original state after a rebase can be accomplished using Git’s reflog, which records updates to the tip of branches. First, you can view the history of your branch’s commits by running git reflog. This will give you a list of recent actions and their corresponding commit hashes. Look for the commit hash that corresponds to the state of your branch just before the rebase. Once you identify the correct commit, you can reset your branch to that commit using git reset --hard . This command will discard any changes made since that commit, so be sure you want to lose those changes.

      However, if you have uncommitted changes that you want to keep, consider using git reset --soft instead, which will move the branch pointer to the desired commit while keeping your changes staged. Additionally, you can create a backup branch before resetting by using git branch backup-branch-name. This way, you can always return to your state post-rebase if needed. Just remember to carefully examine the reflog to ensure you restore to the correct point and regularly back up your work to minimize the risk of losing important changes.


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