(Based on Justin Hileman’s Flowchart)
Starting Point
"So you have a mess on your hands"
1. Uncommitted Mess
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Caught in time?
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Yes → Split into logical chunks, stage, and commit with a good message.
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Still messy? →
git reset --hard
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2. Accidental Commit
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Has anyone else seen it?
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No (local only):
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Last commit:
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Forgot a file? →
git add <file> git commit --amend -
Need a better message? →
git commit --amend -
Want to discard it? →
git reset --hard HEAD^
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Older commit:
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Reset to a specific commit →
git reset <commit> -
Interactive rebase →
git rebase -i <commit>
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-
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Yes (pushed to GitHub / shared):
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Is anyone downstream?
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Yes → Safest to leave history ugly.
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No → Inform collaborators → Interactive rebase + force push:
git rebase -i <commit> git push --force origin <branch>
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-
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3. History Cleanup
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Remove merge commits?
- If yes → Interactive rebase works.
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Need to change commit history?
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Reset and recommit from scratch →
git reset <commit> -
Interactive rebase (DangerZone™):
git rebase -i <commit> git push --force origin <branch>
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4. Golden Rules
- If commits are shared: Don’t rewrite history unless absolutely necessary.
- If local only: Feel free to reset, amend, or rebase.
- Always communicate with collaborators before force pushing.
Common Commands Summary
- Discard uncommitted mess:
git reset --hard - Fix last commit:
git commit --amend - Discard last commit:
git reset --hard HEAD^ - Reset to specific commit:
git reset <commit> - Interactive history edit:
git rebase -i <commit> - Rewrite & publish history:
git push --force origin <branch>