How to Revert Commits in GitKraken

Edited 4 days ago by ExtremeHow Editorial Team

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GitKraken is a popular Git client that allows developers to manage and navigate their repositories using a graphical user interface (GUI) instead of the traditional command line interface. One of the many operations you can perform with GitKraken is reverting commits. In this detailed guide, we will explore how to effectively revert commits in GitKraken.

Understanding commitments

Before moving on to the process of reverting a commit, it is important to understand what a commit is. A commit in Git is a snapshot of your project at a specific point in time. You can think of a commit as a saved version of your project that includes all the changes made since the last commit. These changes can include files that have been added, modified, or deleted.

Why revert commits?

Reverting a commit is essentially creating a new commit that undoes the changes made by the previous commit. You may want to revert a commit if you introduce a bug, make a mistake, or simply decide that the change was unnecessary. Reverting is a safer option than other methods of undoing a commit, such as reset, because it preserves history.

Getting started with GitKraken

To manage your repository in GitKraken and revert commits, you first need to install GitKraken on your machine. If you haven't done so already, you can download and install it from the official website.

Once installed, open GitKraken and, if you are running the application for the first time, you will need to log in using your credentials or connect your Git account to GitKraken. Once logged in, you can clone an existing repository or open a local project.

Reverting a commit in GitKraken

Let's look at the process of reverting a commit, step-by-step:

Step 1: Locate the commit

Open your project in GitKraken. On the left panel, you will find the graph, which is a visual representation of your commit history. This graph shows all the branches, commits, and their relationships in your repository.

Find the commit you want to revert. Each commit is represented by a circle in the graph. You can identify a commit by its commit message, hash, or the changes it contains.

Step 2: Right click on commit

Once you find the commit you want to revert, right-click on it. A context menu will appear, presenting several options related to that commit.

Step 3: Select “Revert commit”

From the context menu, select the option labeled “Revert Commit.” GitKraken will then create a new commit that reverses the changes made by the selected commit.

Step 4: Review and confirm

Before finalizing a revert operation, GitKraken may prompt you to review the changes to be made. This review step provides an opportunity to ensure that you are reverting the correct changes and understand the implications.

After reviewing the changes, confirm the revert operation by following the prompts. GitKraken will create a new commit on top of the current branch that will effectively undo the changes of the original commit.

Working with branches

When reverting commits on a branch, it is important to ensure that the branch is up to date with the remote repository. This precaution helps prevent conflicts and problems when pushing the reverted commits later.

If you're working on a feature branch, you may need to merge changes from the main branch before reverting. GitKraken makes it easy to handle these tasks using its intuitive and visual merge tools.

Dealing with merge conflicts

When you revert a commit, you may encounter merge conflicts, especially if changes were made later to the same parts of the code. GitKraken provides tools to help resolve these conflicts.

If there is a conflict, GitKraken will indicate it in the left panel. You can click on each item to open the merge tool, where you can manually resolve the conflict by choosing which changes to keep.

Example of a reverted commit

Suppose you have a commit that added a new feature to your application but later it turned out that it contained a serious bug. Once you identify this commit, you can use the steps mentioned above to revert it.

After following these steps, you will have a new commit in your history titled "'Revert commit message' of original commit" which effectively negates the changes made in the problematic commit.

Making changes to the remote

After reverting the commits locally, the next step is to push these changes to the remote repository. In GitKraken, you can easily push changes by clicking the “Push” button located at the top of the interface.

When you push, make sure you have the right permissions and that you're pushing to the right branch. GitKraken provides visual cues and hints to simplify this process.

Rollback vs. Revert

There is often some confusion between the terms “rollback” and “revert” in the context of version control. Rollback typically refers to using a command such as reset to move the HEAD back to a previous commit, effectively discarding the changes that occurred in between. Revert, on the other hand, creates a new commit that undoes the changes of the previous commit, preserving history.

Benefits of using GitKraken

Using a graphical Git client like GitKraken simplifies the process of managing commits. It helps visualize the commit history and makes complex operations more accessible. This aspect is especially beneficial for those who are new to Git or prefer a visual approach instead of text commands.

Conclusion

Reverting a commit in GitKraken is a straightforward process that allows you to safely revert changes without disrupting the commit history. By creating a new commit that undoes previous changes, reverting is a reliable method that will enable you to address mistakes or revise decisions in your project while maintaining a complete and clear history of your repository.

This guide will provide a clear understanding of how to revert commits using GitKraken. With practice, you will become more proficient and confident in managing your projects and navigating their history. By taking advantage of GitKraken's powerful features and interface, you can effectively manage your projects and streamline your development workflow.

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