Final answer:
To revert to a previous commit in git, you can use 'git checkout' to view the commit or start a new branch, 'git reset' to revert the entire repository to a previous state, or 'git revert' to create a new commit that undoes changes without altering the history.
Step-by-step explanation:
To revert back to a previous commit in git, you would typically use the git checkout command followed by the commit hash of the commit you wish to return to. However, if you want to undo changes and bring them back into your working directory, the git reset command would be used instead. Here's how you can revert to a previous commit:
- Using git checkout: If you just want to view the previous commit or start a new branch from it, you can run git checkout <commit-hash>.
- Using git reset: If you need to revert the entire repository to a previous state, you can use git reset --hard <commit-hash> to move the current branch back to the specified commit. Be warned that this method will discard any changes in your working directory and index.
- Using git revert: If you wish to create a new commit that undoes the changes from a previous commit, you can run git revert <commit-hash>. This is useful if you want to keep the history of changes intact.
Remember to replace <commit-hash> with the actual hash of the commit you want to revert to. It's always a good practice to create a backup before performing operations that can alter the history or discard changes.