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GIT · Advanced history · 10 min

Repair an earlier documentation commit

Fold a typo correction into its original commit while keeping later work.

Not completed

Your task

Correct deploymant to deployment in handbook.txt inside the older commit. Retain the later release.txt change and finish with three commits, not a separate fixup.

What you’re aiming for

  • The older handbook snapshot contains deployment.
  • release.txt is preserved.
  • There are three commits and no fixup subject remains.

1. Prepare your practice folder

Use Git 2.28 or newer. The setup commands below use a Bash-compatible shell: Git Bash on Windows, or Bash on Linux/macOS.

Create a new, empty folder for this exercise. If that name already exists, choose another new name. Continue only after you’re inside the new folder.

NEW PRACTICE FOLDER
mkdir opsrung-git-fix-earlier-commit && cd opsrung-git-fix-earlier-commit

Run these setup commands in that folder:

SETUP — RUN ONCE
git init --initial-branch=main
git config --local user.name 'Practice Learner'
git config --local user.email 'practice@example.invalid'
printf '%s\n' 'A disposable OpsRung practice repository.' > README.txt
git add -- README.txt
git commit -m 'Start practice'
printf '%s\n' 'Review the deploymant.' > handbook.txt
git add -- handbook.txt
git commit -m 'Write handbook'
git tag typo-source
printf '%s\n' 'Release candidate approved.' > release.txt
git add -- release.txt
git commit -m 'Approve release'
Only if your personal Git settings interfere

You can normally skip this. If a commit asks for a signing key, runs a custom hook, or changes line endings unexpectedly, these repository-local overrides keep this disposable exercise independent of those settings.

OPTIONAL REPOSITORY OVERRIDES
git config --local commit.gpgsign false
git config --local core.autocrlf false
git config --local core.hooksPath .git/practice-no-hooks

Retry the failed command afterward. These settings apply only inside this practice repository.

2. Try the task

Work toward the goal above. Start by inspecting the files or resources, then use a hint if you need one.

Hint 1

Create a fixup commit targeting the fixture tag typo-source.

Hint 2

Autosquash moves the correction into that older commit.

Hint 3

Rebase from typo-source^ so the target is included.

3. Review your result

Use these commands to look at your result and compare it with the goals. The website does not run or verify them.

REVIEW IN YOUR TERMINAL
git status
git log --oneline --graph --all -12

What you should see

  • The older handbook snapshot contains deployment.
  • release.txt is preserved.
  • There are three commits and no fixup subject remains.

If your result differs: Work only in this exercise’s repository. Compare the branch, files, and history with every goal before marking complete.

Compare with one possible solution
ONE POSSIBLE SOLUTION — BASH
printf '%s\n' 'Review the deployment.' > handbook.txt
git add handbook.txt
git commit --fixup=typo-source
GIT_SEQUENCE_EDITOR=true git rebase -i --autosquash typo-source^

Other approaches are fine if you reach the same goal. Opening this solution does not mark the exercise complete.

Finished this exercise?

You decide when you’re done. Your choice is saved in this browser, and you can change it later.