How to Delete a Git Commit History Using git revert and git reset

Why Delete Commit History

A teammate pushed a mistaken commit to a shared remote repository, and the author needs to erase that history to avoid exposing the error.

Using git revert to Undo Commits

git revert creates a new commit that reverses the changes of a specified commit, preserving the original history.

Syntax

git revert <commit-hash>

git revert <commit-hash1> <commit-hash2> ...

git revert HEAD

git revert <commit-hash1>^..<commit-hash2>

After running the command, Git opens an editor (e.g., Vim) for the revert commit message; the user saves and exits, then pushes the new commit.

Using git reset to Remove Commits Completely

git reset moves the HEAD pointer and can optionally modify the index and working tree, allowing you to discard commits without creating new ones.

Common Forms

git reset --soft HEAD~1

Moves HEAD back one commit while keeping changes staged.

git reset HEAD~1

Moves HEAD back one commit, unstaging changes but keeping them in the working directory.

git reset --hard HEAD~1

Moves HEAD back one commit and discards all changes.

git reset --hard <commit-hash>

Moves HEAD to a specific commit, discarding later work.

To delete the unwanted commits from the remote repository, force‑push the cleaned local branch:

git push --force

or the explicit form:

git push origin <branch-name> --force

Important Warning

Using --force overwrites the remote history, which is dangerous; ensure the local state is correct and coordinate with teammates before doing so.

Summary

git reset can rewrite history by moving the branch pointer, while git revert preserves history by adding a new commit that undoes changes; the article demonstrates how to combine git reset with git push --force to permanently remove erroneous commits from a remote repository.