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.