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GIT · Recovery · 10 min

Recover the commit you replaced

Find the original snapshot after an accidental amend.

Not completed

Your task

Use the reflog to restore the version of main from before the latest amend. notes.txt must contain Keep this version. and the working tree must be clean.

What you’re aiming for

  • The restored tip contains the original note.
  • The amended wrong note is not the current snapshot.

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-recover-amended-commit && cd opsrung-git-recover-amended-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' 'Keep this version.' > notes.txt
git add -- notes.txt
git commit -m 'Save useful notes'
printf '%s\n' 'Wrong replacement.' > notes.txt
git add notes.txt
git commit --amend -m 'Accidental replacement'
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

Reflog records recent movements of HEAD, including amend.

Hint 2

Inspect HEAD@{1}; in this fresh fixture it is the previous version.

Hint 3

Reset only this disposable repository to that entry.

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 reflog --oneline -5
git log -1 --oneline
cat notes.txt

What you should see

  • The restored tip contains the original note.
  • The amended wrong note is not the current snapshot.

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
git reflog --oneline
git reset --hard 'HEAD@{1}'

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.