Searching "how to undo a git commit" returns 10 Stack Overflow answers with different commands and no explanation of which to use when. Here is the decision tree.

Step 1: Did you push the commit?

No, it is only local. You have the most options. Use git reset:

# Keep your changes staged (safest — nothing is lost)
git reset HEAD~1 --soft

# Keep your changes unstaged but on disk
git reset HEAD~1 --mixed

# Discard your changes completely (no recovery without reflog)
git reset HEAD~1 --hard

Yes, it is already pushed. Do not rewrite history on a shared branch. Use git revert instead:

git revert HEAD   # undo the most recent commit
git push          # push the undo commit

Revert creates a new commit that inverts the changes. Your teammates see the history intact — they just also see the fix.

Step 2: Was it multiple commits ago?

If the commit you want to undo is not the latest, you need its hash:

git log --oneline   # find the hash
git revert abc1234  # revert that specific commit

Tip: If you reverted the wrong commit, just revert the revert: git revert HEAD again will undo the undo.

Step 3: What if you used --hard and lost work?

The reflog still has it. Git keeps a log of every HEAD position change, even across hard resets. Run:

git reflog                          # look for your commit in the list
git checkout -b recovered abc1234   # put it on a new branch

The reflog retains entries for 30–90 days (configurable). As long as garbage collection has not run, the data is there.

Originally published on High Fade Free.