How to revert a commit without affecting the current branch?

Reverting a Commit Without Affecting the Current Branch

In the world of Git, a version control system, there may be times when you need to revert a commit without affecting your current branch. This can be particularly useful when you've made a mistake in a commit and want to undo it, or when you need to cherry-pick a specific commit from another branch.

Understanding Git Commit History

To understand how to revert a commit without affecting the current branch, it's important to first grasp the concept of Git commit history. In Git, each commit represents a snapshot of your project at a specific point in time. These commits are linked together, forming a linear history that you can navigate and manipulate.

graph LR A[Initial Commit] --> B[Commit 2] B --> C[Commit 3] C --> D[Commit 4] D --> E[Commit 5]

In the diagram above, you can see a simple Git commit history with five commits, where each commit builds upon the previous one.

The `git revert` Command

The git revert command is the primary tool used to revert a commit without affecting the current branch. When you run git revert, Git creates a new commit that undoes the changes introduced by the specified commit. This new commit is then added to the current branch, preserving the overall commit history.

Here's how you can use the git revert command:

Identify the commit you want to revert. You can use the commit hash or the branch name and commit index (e.g., main~2 to revert the commit two steps back from the current main branch).
Run the git revert command, followed by the commit identifier:
```
git revert <commit-identifier>
```
This will open your default text editor, where you can review and modify the commit message for the revert commit.
Save the commit message and exit the text editor. Git will then create a new commit that undoes the changes introduced by the specified commit.

It's important to note that the git revert command creates a new commit, rather than simply removing the original commit from the history. This is a crucial difference from the git reset command, which can potentially rewrite the commit history and cause issues if you've already pushed the commits to a remote repository.

Reverting a Commit on a Different Branch

If you need to revert a commit that was made on a different branch, you can follow these steps:

Checkout the branch that contains the commit you want to revert:
```
git checkout <branch-name>
```
Revert the commit using the git revert command:
```
git revert <commit-identifier>
```
The revert commit will now be added to the current branch, without affecting the original branch where the commit was made.

Practical Example

Let's say you're working on a project, and you've made a commit that introduced a bug. You want to revert that commit without affecting your current branch, which contains other important changes.

Identify the commit you want to revert. For example, let's say the commit hash is abcd1234.
Checkout the branch that contains the commit you want to revert:
```
git checkout main
```
Revert the commit using the git revert command:
```
git revert abcd1234
```
Git will create a new commit that undoes the changes introduced by the original commit. You can review and modify the commit message if needed.
The revert commit is now added to the main branch, without affecting any other branches or the overall commit history.

By using the git revert command, you can safely undo a commit without disrupting the current branch or the project's commit history. This is a powerful tool in the Git arsenal, allowing you to maintain a clean and manageable repository.