git reset soft vs mixed vs hard - Interactive Practice

Practice - 5 Tasks

1fill in blank

easy

Complete the command to reset the last commit but keep changes staged.

Git

git reset --[1] HEAD~1

Drag options to blanks, or click blank then click option'

Amixed

Bsoft

Chard

Dcommit

Attempts:

3 left

💡 Hint

Common Mistakes

Using 'hard' will discard changes.

Using 'mixed' unstages changes.

The soft reset moves HEAD to the previous commit but keeps changes staged for commit.

2fill in blank

medium

Complete the command to reset the last commit and unstage changes but keep them in the working directory.

Git

git reset --[1] HEAD~1

Drag options to blanks, or click blank then click option'

Amixed

Breset

Chard

Dsoft

Attempts:

3 left

💡 Hint

Common Mistakes

Using 'soft' keeps changes staged.

Using 'hard' deletes changes.

The mixed reset moves HEAD and unstages changes but keeps them in your files.

3fill in blank

hard

Fix the command to reset the last commit and discard all changes in working directory and index.

Git

git reset --[1] HEAD~1

Drag options to blanks, or click blank then click option'

Asoft

Bmixed

Cdiscard

Dhard

Attempts:

3 left

💡 Hint

Common Mistakes

Using 'soft' or 'mixed' will keep changes.

Using 'discard' is not a valid option.

The hard reset moves HEAD and discards all changes in index and working directory.

4fill in blank

hard

Fill both blanks to describe the effect of 'git reset --{{BLANK_1}}' and 'git reset --{{BLANK_2}}'.

Git

git reset --[1] keeps changes staged, git reset --[2] unstages changes but keeps them in working directory.

Drag options to blanks, or click blank then click option'

Asoft

Bmixed

Chard

Dcommit

Attempts:

3 left

💡 Hint

Common Mistakes

Confusing 'hard' with 'mixed' or 'soft'.

soft reset keeps changes staged; mixed reset unstages changes but keeps them in files.

5fill in blank

hard

Fill all three blanks to complete the dictionary describing reset types and their effects.

Git

reset_effects = { 'soft': 'keeps changes [1]', 'mixed': 'unstages changes but keeps them [2]', 'hard': 'discards changes in [3]' }

Drag options to blanks, or click blank then click option'

Astaged

Bin working directory

Cindex and working directory

Dcommitted

Attempts:

3 left

💡 Hint

Common Mistakes

Mixing up where changes are discarded or kept.

soft keeps changes staged, mixed unstages but keeps changes in working directory, hard discards changes in index and working directory.

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