HomeLearnGitPut prerequisite work first

GIT · Advanced history · 10 min

Put prerequisite work first

Repair the order of two independent local changes.

Not completed

Your task

Rewrite main so Create configuration comes before Enable feature. Preserve both files, the base commit, and a linear three-commit history.

What you’re aiming for

  • The configuration commit is the parent of the feature commit.
  • Both final files are unchanged.

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-reorder-local-commits && cd opsrung-git-reorder-local-commits

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'
git tag order-base
printf '%s\n' 'Feature enabled.' > feature.txt
git add -- feature.txt
git commit -m 'Enable feature'
git tag feature-step
printf '%s\n' 'mode=practice' > config.txt
git add -- config.txt
git commit -m 'Create configuration'
git tag config-step
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

Inspect the two fixture tags before rewriting.

Hint 2

Interactive rebase can reorder commits; replaying selected commits onto the base is another option.

Hint 3

This solution resets only the disposable main to order-base, then cherry-picks config-step followed by feature-step.

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 configuration commit is the parent of the feature commit.
  • Both final files are unchanged.

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 reset --hard order-base
git cherry-pick config-step feature-step

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.