Amending a Specific Past Git Commit Without Affecting Recent Ones

Zettel#125

zettelkasten
Published

2023-09-28

Introduction

This guide provides a step-by-step process for amending a specific past Git commit without affecting more recent commits. This is particularly useful when you’ve made a mistake in a past commit and want to correct it without creating a new commit or altering the latest commit.

Step-by-Step Guide

1. Create a Temporary Branch

Create a temporary branch to save the state of your current work.

git switch -c temp-branch

2. Switch to the Commit Before the Mistake

Find the commit hash of the commit you want to amend, and switch to it.

git log
git switch --detach <commit_hash>

3. Amend the Commit

Make the necessary changes to the code file and stage them. Then amend the commit.

# Make your changes to the code file
git add <file_name>
git commit --amend --no-edit

4. Reapply Subsequent Commits

Now reapply the commits that came after the one you amended.

git rebase --onto HEAD <commit_hash> temp-branch

5. Switch Back to Main and Force Push

Switch back to your main branch and force push the changes.

git switch main
git reset --hard temp-branch
git push --force-with-lease  # Be cautious when using force push

6. Clean Up

Delete the temporary branch:

git branch -d temp-branch

Important Notes

  • Backup: Always make sure to backup your repository before performing operations that rewrite history.
  • Collaboration: If you’re working with others, you’ll need to coordinate with them, as rewriting history will affect everyone else.