Recovering Lost Changes: A Step-by-Step Guide to Resolving Git Reverts After Merge

Introduction

Git is a powerful version control system that helps developers manage changes in their codebase. However, even with Git, mistakes can happen, and changes can be lost. One common issue that developers face is when Git reverts changes after a merge, resulting in lost work. In this post, we will explore the reasons behind this issue, and provide a step-by-step guide on how to recover lost changes and avoid similar problems in the future.

Understanding Git Merge and Revert

Before we dive into the solution, let's understand how Git merge and revert work. When you merge two branches in Git, it creates a new commit that combines the changes from both branches. However, if there are conflicts, Git may revert some of the changes to resolve the conflict. This can result in lost work, especially if you don't notice the reverts immediately.

Git Merge

A Git merge is a command that combines changes from two branches into a single branch. Here's an example of how to merge two branches:

1# Switch to the branch you want to merge into
2git checkout main
3
4# Merge the feature branch into the main branch
5git merge feature/new-feature

In this example, we switch to the main branch and merge the feature/new-feature branch into it.

Git Revert

A Git revert is a command that reverts changes made by a specific commit. Here's an example of how to revert a commit:

1# Find the commit hash of the commit you want to revert
2git log
3
4# Revert the commit
5git revert <commit-hash>

In this example, we find the commit hash of the commit we want to revert and then use the git revert command to revert the changes.

Recovering Lost Changes

To recover lost changes after a Git merge reverts your work, you can use the following steps:

Step 1: Identify the Lost Changes

The first step is to identify the lost changes. You can use git log and git diff to find the changes that were reverted. Here's an example:

1# Find the commit hash of the merge commit
2git log
3
4# Use git diff to find the changes that were reverted
5git diff <merge-commit-hash>~1..<merge-commit-hash>

In this example, we find the commit hash of the merge commit and use git diff to find the changes that were reverted.

Step 2: Create a New Branch

Once you've identified the lost changes, create a new branch to work on recovering the changes. Here's an example:

1# Create a new branch
2git branch recover-lost-changes
3
4# Switch to the new branch
5git checkout recover-lost-changes

In this example, we create a new branch called recover-lost-changes and switch to it.

Step 3: Cherry-Pick the Lost Changes

Now, you can use git cherry-pick to apply the lost changes to the new branch. Here's an example:

1# Cherry-pick the lost changes
2git cherry-pick <commit-hash>

In this example, we use git cherry-pick to apply the lost changes to the new branch.

Step 4: Resolve Conflicts

If there are conflicts, you'll need to resolve them manually. Here's an example:

1# Edit the conflicting files
2vim conflicting-file.txt
3
4# Add the resolved files
5git add conflicting-file.txt
6
7# Commit the changes
8git commit -m "Resolved conflicts"

In this example, we edit the conflicting files, add the resolved files, and commit the changes.

Common Pitfalls to Avoid

Here are some common pitfalls to avoid when recovering lost changes:

• Don't panic: It's easy to panic when you lose changes, but it's essential to stay calm and methodically recover the changes.
• Use the correct commit hash: Make sure to use the correct commit hash when cherry-picking changes.
• Resolve conflicts carefully: Conflicts can be tricky to resolve, so make sure to take your time and resolve them carefully.

Best Practices and Optimization Tips

Here are some best practices and optimization tips to avoid losing changes in the future:

• Use git status frequently: Use git status to check the status of your repository and catch any issues early.
• Use git log and git diff: Use git log and git diff to track changes and identify issues.
• Create a backup branch: Create a backup branch before merging changes to ensure you can recover lost changes.
• Use a Git GUI tool: Consider using a Git GUI tool like GitKraken or Tower to visualize your repository and catch issues early.

Conclusion

Recovering lost changes after a Git merge reverts your work can be a challenging task, but with the right steps and tools, you can recover your valuable code changes. By following the steps outlined in this post, you can identify lost changes, create a new branch, cherry-pick the lost changes, and resolve conflicts. Remember to stay calm, use the correct commit hash, and resolve conflicts carefully. Additionally, follow best practices like using git status frequently, creating a backup branch, and using a Git GUI tool to avoid losing changes in the future.