+++
date = "2012-09-04"
title = "Git: Interactive Revert"
tags = ["git", "protip"]
slug = "git-interactive-revert"
+++
I recently made a commit in a project that, mistakenly, included changes to `db/schema.rb`. My local schema was out of date and this could cause trouble for the others in my team.

Luckily we use [a successful git branching model][1] so my changes were still up for review by the team.

The change I made was part of larger commit. But all I wanted was to revert serveral chunks from `db/schema.rb` that would cause trouble.

## Interactive add

Now, there's `git add -i` which allows you to selectively stage chunks for the next commit. Unfortunately, the process for reversing interactively is a bit more complicated, but not much.

## Interactive revert

Well, let's say you want to revert changes you made in commit `f1e11c`. Go to your feature branch and revert your changes for that commit <em>but do not commit them yet</em>, hence the `-n` option:

``` shell
git revert -n f1e11c
```

Your working copy now contains staged changes to revert the entire `f1e11c` commit. You don't want to revert everything, so unstage all those changes.

``` shell
git reset
```

The key now is to interactively <em>stage the changes you want to revert</em>. You can do this like this:

``` shell
git add -p
```

or

``` shell
git add -i
```

Choose whichever suits you.

In my case I staged only the chunks that related to the changes in `db/schema.rb` that I wanted to revert.

With your reverting changes staged, commit them.

``` shell
git commit
```

You're now left with reverting changes you didn't want to make. Just throw them away.

``` shell
git reset --hard
```

And that's all. You have now selectively reverted a commit.

[1]: http://nvie.com/posts/a-successful-git-branching-model/