The Exception to the Rule: When to Use Force Push for Clean Git Branch Histories

Git is a powerful and versatile version control system that allows developers to keep track of changes to their codebase, collaborate with others, and manage multiple versions of a project. One of the common scenarios in Git is the need to reset to an earlier commit while saving and reapplying specific commits. In this blog post, we will guide you through the process of achieving this using a combination of Git commands such as git branch, git reset, and git cherry-pick.

While Git offers many advantages, it's important to be cautious when performing certain operations, particularly when force pushing. Force pushing can be dangerous because it overwrites remote history, which could lead to loss of work for other team members and create confusion. In most cases, force pushing should be avoided, especially in large or collaborative projects.

However, there are times when you might want a clean branch history, particularly in smaller projects or when working alone. In these situations, force pushing can help you maintain a cleaner, more manageable commit history, making it easier to understand and review your changes. It's essential to be aware of the risks and ensure you're not affecting other team members' work when force pushing.

In this tutorial, we will show you how to reset to an earlier commit while saving and reapplying specific commits, and we'll also discuss when it might be appropriate to use force pushing to achieve a clean branch history.

Ensure a clean working directory

Before performing any Git operations, make sure your working directory is clean by either committing or stashing any changes. This helps prevent loss of work and ensures a smooth process.

Create a temporary branch

To save the commits you want to keep, create a new branch called temp_branch or any other name you prefer:

git branch temp_branch

This will also be invaluable in-case your force-push goes wrong to avoid loosing commits.

Identify the target commit

Find the commit hash of the commit you want to reset to. You can use git log or a GUI-client to achieve this. Let's assume the hash is abcd123.

Reset to the target commit

Reset your current branch to the desired commit using git reset:

git reset --hard abcd123

When using git reset you can use either of these methods:

--hard: Resets commit history, staging area, and working directory.
--soft: Resets commit history only, leaving staging area and working directory intact.
--mixed: Resets commit history and staging area, leaving working directory intact.

Reapply the saved commits

Now that you're at the earlier commit, you can reapply the commits you saved in temp_branch using git cherry-pick. First, find the commit hashes using git log temp_branch. For example, if you want to apply commits efgh456 and ijkl789, run:

git cherry-pick efgh456git cherry-pick ijkl789

Resolve any conflicts

If there are any conflicts during the cherry-picking process, resolve them and continue with git cherry-pick --continue.

Push your changes to the remote repository

Finally, push your changes to the remote repository:

git push <remote> <branch> --force

Remember that using --force can be dangerous, as it overwrites remote history. Only use it when you're sure about what you're doing, and always communicate with your team about any changes to the remote history.

Delete the temporary branch

Once you've successfully reapplied the desired commits, you can delete the temp_branch using:

git branch -d temp_branch

Only do this once you are 100% sure everything went as you though with the force-push. Leaving it as a backup locally for a day or two might save you from any future headaches, especially if you are working alone and no other developer has a up-to-date branch locally.

By following these steps, you can reset to an earlier commit while saving and reapplying specific commits using Git. This process can be useful for correcting mistakes, reorganizing your commit history, or testing different scenarios in your project. As always, remember to communicate with your team and use Git's power responsibly.