git reset soft vs mixed vs hard - Hands-On Comparison

Understanding git reset: soft vs mixed vs hard

📖 Scenario: You are working on a project using Git for version control. Sometimes you want to undo changes but keep some parts of your work safe. Git offers different ways to reset your work: soft, mixed, and hard. Each one affects your files and commits differently.

🎯 Goal: Learn how to use git reset --soft, git reset --mixed, and git reset --hard to undo commits in different ways.

📋 What You'll Learn

Understand what a Git commit is

Know how to check the current commit history

Learn how to reset commits with different options

💡 Why This Matters

🌍 Real World

Developers often need to undo commits without losing work. Knowing how to use different reset options helps manage code safely.

💼 Career

Understanding git reset options is essential for software developers, DevOps engineers, and anyone working with version control to fix mistakes and manage code history.

1

Set up a Git repository with three commits

Initialize a Git repository and create three commits named commit1, commit2, and commit3 by creating files file1.txt, file2.txt, and file3.txt respectively. Use git init, git add, and git commit -m commands exactly as shown.

Git

# Initialize git repo and create three commits
# Your code here

Hint

Use git init to start the repo. Then create files and commit them one by one with the exact commit messages.

2

Set a variable for the commit before the last one

Create a variable called target_commit that stores the commit hash of the second commit (the one with message commit2) using git rev-parse HEAD~1.

Git

git init

echo "Content for file1" > file1.txt
git add file1.txt
git commit -m "commit1"

echo "Content for file2" > file2.txt
git add file2.txt
git commit -m "commit2"

echo "Content for file3" > file3.txt
git add file3.txt
git commit -m "commit3"

# Create variable target_commit for second commit hash
# Your code here

Hint

Use git rev-parse HEAD~1 to get the commit before the last one and save it in target_commit.

3

Reset the last commit using git reset --soft

Use git reset --soft $target_commit to move the HEAD to the second commit but keep the changes from the last commit staged.

Git

git init

echo "Content for file1" > file1.txt
git add file1.txt
git commit -m "commit1"

echo "Content for file2" > file2.txt
git add file2.txt
git commit -m "commit2"

echo "Content for file3" > file3.txt
git add file3.txt
git commit -m "commit3"

target_commit=$(git rev-parse HEAD~1)

# Reset last commit softly
# Your code here

Hint

Use git reset --soft with the variable target_commit to undo the last commit but keep changes staged.

4

Show the current Git status after soft reset

Run git status to display the current state of the repository after the soft reset.

Git

git init

echo "Content for file1" > file1.txt
git add file1.txt
git commit -m "commit1"

echo "Content for file2" > file2.txt
git add file2.txt
git commit -m "commit2"

echo "Content for file3" > file3.txt
git add file3.txt
git commit -m "commit3"

target_commit=$(git rev-parse HEAD~1)

git reset --soft $target_commit

# Show git status
# Your code here

Hint

Use git status to see that the last commit's changes are still staged after the soft reset.

Practice

1. What does git reset --soft do to your changes after undoing a commit?

easy

A. It unstages the changes but keeps them in the folder.

B. It removes the changes from both staging and folder.

C. It keeps the changes staged and ready to commit again.

D. It deletes the commit and all changes permanently.

Solution

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

   This option moves the HEAD pointer back but keeps all changes staged.

2. Step 2: Compare with other reset types

   Unlike mixed or hard, soft reset does not unstage or delete changes.

3. Final Answer:

   It keeps the changes staged and ready to commit again. -> Option C

4. Quick Check:

   soft reset = keep staged changes [OK]

Hint: Soft reset keeps changes staged for quick recommit [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Confusing soft with mixed reset
• Thinking soft deletes changes
• Assuming soft unstages changes

2. Which of the following is the correct syntax to undo the last commit but keep changes unstaged?

easy

A. git reset --keep HEAD~1

B. git reset --soft HEAD~1

C. git reset --hard HEAD~1

D. git reset --mixed HEAD~1

Solution

1. Step 1: Identify the reset option for unstaging changes

   The --mixed option resets the commit and unstages changes but keeps them in the folder.

2. Step 2: Verify syntax correctness

   All commands use HEAD~1 to move one commit back; --mixed is the default and correct option here.

3. Final Answer:

   git reset --mixed HEAD~1 -> Option D

4. Quick Check:

   mixed reset = unstage but keep changes [OK]

Hint: Mixed reset unstages but keeps changes in folder [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Using --soft when unstaging is needed
• Using --hard which deletes changes
• Using invalid --keep option

3. Given you committed changes but want to undo the commit and remove all changes from your working folder, what will be the result of git reset --hard HEAD~1?

medium

A. The commit is undone, changes remain staged.

B. The commit is undone, changes are deleted from folder and staging.

C. The commit is undone, changes remain unstaged in folder.

D. The commit is undone, changes are saved in stash.

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand --hard reset effect

   This option resets the commit and deletes all changes from both staging and working folder.

2. Step 2: Confirm no changes remain

   After hard reset, the working folder matches the commit pointed by HEAD, so changes are lost.

3. Final Answer:

   The commit is undone, changes are deleted from folder and staging. -> Option B

4. Quick Check:

   hard reset = delete changes from folder and staging [OK]

Hint: Hard reset deletes changes from folder and staging [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Thinking hard reset keeps changes staged
• Confusing hard with mixed reset
• Assuming changes are saved in stash automatically

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

medium

A. You ran git reset --mixed instead of soft.

B. You committed new changes after reset.

C. Your Git version does not support --soft option.

D. You actually ran git reset --hard by mistake.

Solution

1. Step 1: Analyze why changes are unstaged

   Soft reset keeps changes staged; if changes disappeared from staging, mixed reset was likely used.

2. Step 2: Check command confusion

   Mixed reset unstages changes but keeps them in folder, matching the symptom.

3. Final Answer:

   You ran git reset --mixed instead of soft. -> Option A

4. Quick Check:

   Mixed reset unstages changes, soft keeps staged [OK]

Hint: Unstaged changes? Check if mixed reset was used instead of soft [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Confusing soft and mixed reset effects
• Assuming Git version lacks --soft support
• Thinking reset deletes changes automatically

5. You committed changes but realize you want to undo the commit, keep the changes unstaged, and then selectively stage some files. Which command sequence achieves this?

hard

A. git reset --mixed HEAD~1; git add <files>

B. git reset --soft HEAD~1; git add <files>

C. git reset --hard HEAD~1; git add <files>

D. git reset --soft HEAD~1; git reset HEAD <files>

Solution

1. Step 1: Undo commit and unstage changes

   git reset --mixed HEAD~1 moves HEAD back, unstages changes but keeps them in folder.

2. Step 2: Selectively stage files

   Use git add <files> to stage only desired files after unstaging.

3. Final Answer:

   git reset --mixed HEAD~1; git add <files> -> Option A

4. Quick Check:

   Mixed reset + selective add stages chosen files [OK]

Hint: Use mixed reset to unstage, then add files selectively [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Using soft reset which keeps all changes staged
• Using hard reset which deletes changes
• Trying to unstage files after soft reset