One rule that saves you
99% of Git accidents are recoverable, because Git barely ever truly deletes anything — once a commit is created it stays in the object database, just without a reference.
When panicking, do NOT rush to `git push --force` or `git reset --hard`. Run `git status` first to see the current state, then apply the scenario below.
git status
# 看清当前分支、工作区与暂存区状态，再决定下一步Scenario 1: last commit is wrong (not pushed yet)
To fix only the message: `git commit --amend`. To undo the commit but keep changes: `--soft` keeps them staged, `--mixed` (default) returns them to the working tree, `--hard` discards them entirely — use with caution.
git commit --amend # 修改最后一次提交信息/内容
git reset --soft HEAD~1 # 撤销提交，改动留在暂存区
git reset --hard HEAD~1 # 彻底丢弃最后一次提交与改动（慎用）Scenario 2: already pushed to a shared branch
For an already-pushed commit, do NOT use reset + force — that rewrites others’ history. Use `git revert` to create a "reverse commit" that cancels out the change; it is safe to push.
git revert <sha> # 生成反向提交，安全抵消某次改动
git push # 推送到共享分支，不破坏他人历史Scenario 3: branch/commit deleted by mistake
Every move of HEAD is recorded in `git reflog`. Even if a branch is deleted, the commit object remains. Find the lost sha and bring it back with `git checkout <sha>` or `git branch <new> <sha>`.
git reflog # 查看 HEAD 移动历史，找到丢失的 sha
git branch recovered <sha> # 用丢失的 sha 重建一个分支Scenario 4: realized you edited the wrong branch
Do not redo everything. Use `git stash` to shelve your changes, switch to the correct branch and `git stash pop` to restore them. If some commits are already done, move just those with `git cherry-pick`.
git stash # 暂存当前改动
git switch correct-branch # 切到正确分支
git stash pop # 恢复改动
# 或仅搬运个别提交：
git cherry-pick <sha>Self-rescue checklist
① Run `git status` first, do not panic; ② for unpushed use reset/amend, for pushed use revert; ③ for deletion use reflog; ④ for wrong-branch use stash/cherry-pick; ⑤ before any `--hard` / `--force`, confirm no one else depends on the history.
Save these commands into the matching cheatsheet (Git / Version Control) so you can look them up instantly next time.