git restore

Undo changes you have not committed

Lesson 6 of 20 · 9 min · Module 2: Everyday changes

Not every experiment deserves a commit. Git can put a file back the way it was, or take it out of the next snapshot.

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By the end, you’ll be able to…

Discard changes to a file with git restore
Unstage a file with git restore --staged
Use the hints in git status

The idea

git restore file throws away your uncommitted changes to a file and brings back the version from the staging area, which is the last commit unless you staged something. git restore --staged file only takes the file out of the next commit: your edits stay in the file. git status prints these commands as hints, so read it first.

git status
git restore style.css
git restore --staged draft.md

01Discard a change in one file

git restore file replaces the file with the version in the staging area. Use it when an experiment went nowhere.

git restore style.css
git status --short

Output

A  draft.md
M  index.html

02Unstage without losing work

git restore --staged file takes the file out of the next commit and leaves your edits in place. Because draft.md was a new file, it becomes untracked again.

git restore --staged draft.md
git status --short

Output

M  index.html
?? draft.md

03Let git status guide you

git status always suggests the next command: git add to stage, git restore --staged to unstage, git restore to discard. Read the hints before you act.

Your turn

Your folder is a mix. style.css has an experiment you do not want, draft.md was staged by accident, and index.html has a welcome message that is ready. Throw away the change to style.css, unstage draft.md but keep the file, then commit only the welcome message as Add a welcome message.

What the checks look for

style.css is back to its last committed version
draft.md is still there, but not committed
Only the welcome message is committed

Try it in the editor →

Take this with you

git restore discards changes in a file; git restore --staged only unstages it.

Go a little further

Change a file, stage it, then change it again. Predict what git restore --staged and git restore will each do, then try them one at a time.