Difference between reset and revert in Git - Visual Side-by-Side Comparison

Process Flow - Difference between reset and revert

Start: Commit History

↓

Choose action

↓

reset

↓

Move HEAD

↓

Change branch state

↓

Discard or keep changes

This flow shows how git reset moves the branch pointer to an earlier commit, changing history, while git revert creates a new commit that undoes changes, preserving history.

Execution Sample

Git

git reset --hard HEAD~1
git revert HEAD

Reset moves the branch back one commit discarding changes; revert creates a new commit that undoes the last commit.

Process Table

Step	Command	Action	Branch HEAD	Working Directory	Result
1	Initial state	Branch at commit C3	C3	Matches C3	Ready to reset or revert
2	git reset --hard HEAD~1	Move HEAD back to C2, discard changes	C2	Matches C2	History changed, C3 no longer on branch
3	git revert HEAD	Create new commit C4 that undoes C3	C4	Matches C4	History preserved, undo applied as new commit
4	Exit	No more commands	C4	Matches C4	Reset changed history; revert preserved history

💡 Execution stops after reset and revert commands show different effects on branch and history.

Status Tracker

Variable	Start	After reset	After revert
Branch HEAD	C3	C2	C4
Working Directory	Matches C3	Matches C2	Matches C4

Key Moments - 3 Insights

Why does 'git reset' change the commit history but 'git revert' does not?

'git reset' moves the branch pointer backward (see execution_table step 2), effectively removing commits from the branch history. 'git revert' adds a new commit that undoes changes (step 3), so history stays intact.

What happens to the working directory after 'git reset --hard'?

The working directory matches the commit HEAD points to after reset (step 2), discarding any changes from the reset commits.

Can 'git revert' be used safely on shared branches?

Yes, because it creates a new commit without rewriting history (step 3), it is safe for shared branches unlike 'git reset' which rewrites history.

Visual Quiz - 3 Questions

Look at the execution table, what is the branch HEAD after 'git reset --hard HEAD~1'?

A C4

B C3

C C2

D HEAD~1

💡 Hint

Check the 'Branch HEAD' column at step 2 in the execution_table.

At which step does git create a new commit to undo changes?

A Step 3

B Step 1

C Step 2

D Step 4

💡 Hint

Look for the step where 'Create new commit' is mentioned in the Action column.

If you want to undo a commit but keep the history intact, which command should you use?

A git reset --hard

B git revert

C git checkout

D git branch

💡 Hint

Refer to the concept_flow and execution_table showing which command preserves history.

Concept Snapshot

git reset moves the branch pointer to an earlier commit, changing history and optionally discarding changes.
git revert creates a new commit that undoes changes from a previous commit, preserving history.
Use reset for local undo when history rewrite is safe.
Use revert to safely undo changes on shared branches.
Reset affects HEAD and working directory; revert adds a new commit.

Full Transcript

This lesson shows the difference between git reset and git revert by tracing their effects on commit history and working directory. Git reset moves the branch pointer backward, changing history and discarding changes if --hard is used. Git revert creates a new commit that undoes changes from a previous commit, preserving history. The execution table tracks branch HEAD and working directory state after each command. Key moments clarify why reset rewrites history and revert does not, and when to use each safely. Visual quizzes test understanding of branch state and command effects.

Practice

1. What is the main difference between git reset and git revert?

easy

A. git reset creates a new commit, git revert deletes commits permanently.

B. git reset changes commit history, git revert creates a new commit to undo changes.

C. git reset only works on remote branches, git revert only on local branches.

D. git reset merges branches, git revert rebases branches.

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand git reset behavior

   git reset moves the branch pointer and can remove commits from history locally.

2. Step 2: Understand git revert behavior

   git revert creates a new commit that undoes the changes of a previous commit without changing history.

3. Final Answer:

   git reset changes commit history, git revert creates a new commit to undo changes. -> Option B

4. Quick Check:

   Reset changes history, revert adds undo commit [OK]

Hint: Reset rewinds history, revert adds undo commit [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Thinking revert deletes commits
• Confusing reset with revert effects on remote
• Believing reset creates new commits

2. Which of the following is the correct syntax to undo the last commit using git revert?

easy

A. git revert HEAD

B. git revert --hard HEAD

C. git revert HEAD~1

D. git revert --reset HEAD

Solution

1. Step 1: Identify the commit to revert

   The last commit is referenced by HEAD.

2. Step 2: Use correct revert syntax

   git revert HEAD creates a new commit that undoes the last commit.

3. Final Answer:

   git revert HEAD -> Option A

4. Quick Check:

   Revert last commit with git revert HEAD [OK]

Hint: Revert last commit with 'git revert HEAD' [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Using HEAD~1 to revert last commit
• Adding invalid flags like --hard or --reset
• Confusing revert syntax with reset

3. Given this sequence of commands:

git commit -m "Add feature A"
git commit -m "Fix bug B"
git reset --hard HEAD~1
git status

What will git status show after these commands?

medium

A. Working directory clean, last commit is "Add feature A"

B. Working directory clean, last commit is "Fix bug B"

C. Uncommitted changes from "Fix bug B" present

D. Error: reset failed

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand the commits and reset

   Two commits made: "Add feature A" then "Fix bug B". git reset --hard HEAD~1 moves branch back one commit, removing "Fix bug B" commit and resets files.

2. Step 2: Check status after reset

   Since reset was hard, working directory matches "Add feature A" commit, so no changes to commit.

3. Final Answer:

   Working directory clean, last commit is "Add feature A" -> Option A

4. Quick Check:

   Hard reset removes last commit and cleans changes [OK]

Hint: Hard reset moves HEAD and cleans working directory [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Thinking reset keeps last commit
• Assuming changes remain after hard reset
• Confusing reset with revert effects

4. You ran git reset --soft HEAD~1 but your changes disappeared from the staging area. What is the likely mistake?

medium

A. You forgot to commit after reset, so changes are lost.

B. You should have used git reset --hard to keep changes staged.

C. You should have used git revert instead to undo the commit.

D. You ran git reset --soft but expected it to keep changes staged; it only moves HEAD.

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand git reset --soft effect

   This moves HEAD back but keeps changes staged (in index).

2. Step 2: Identify why changes disappeared

   If changes disappeared from staging, likely a misunderstanding: --soft keeps changes staged, but if you see no changes staged, maybe you checked wrong or used wrong flag.

3. Final Answer:

   You ran git reset --soft but expected it to keep changes staged; it only moves HEAD. -> Option D

4. Quick Check:

   Soft reset moves HEAD, keeps staged changes [OK]

Hint: Soft reset moves HEAD, does not remove staged changes [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Confusing soft reset with hard reset
• Expecting soft reset to undo commit and unstaged changes
• Using revert when reset is intended

5. You pushed a commit to a shared repository but later found it causes issues. Which command should you use to undo the commit safely without rewriting history?

hard

A. git reset --hard HEAD~1

B. git checkout HEAD~1

C. git revert HEAD

D. git reset --soft HEAD~1

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand the problem with shared commits

   Reset rewrites history and can cause problems if commits are already pushed and shared.

2. Step 2: Choose safe undo method

   git revert HEAD creates a new commit that undoes the changes without rewriting history, safe for shared repos.

3. Final Answer:

   git revert HEAD -> Option C

4. Quick Check:

   Revert safely undoes shared commits without history rewrite [OK]

Hint: Use revert to undo shared commits safely [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Using reset on shared branches causing conflicts
• Thinking checkout undoes commits
• Using soft reset expecting safe undo