To revert a file to a previous commit state while keeping other changes intact in Git, you can use the git checkout or git restore command combined with the commit hash of the state you want to revert to. Here's how to do it:
Using git checkout (older method)
1. Identify the commit hash: Use git log to find the commit hash of the state you want to revert to. Note down the hash.
git log --oneline
2. Checkout the specific file: Replace COMMIT_HASH with the actual commit hash and path/to/file with the path of the file you want to revert.
git checkout COMMIT_HASH -- path/to/file
This command will update the specified file in your working directory to match the version from the given commit.
Using git restore (newer method)
If you're using a newer version of Git, you can use git restore:
1. Identify the commit hash: Again, start by finding the commit hash using git log.
git log --oneline
2. Restore the file: Use this command to restore the file to the specified commit:
git restore --source COMMIT_HASH -- path/to/file
Final Steps
After executing either command, your file will be reverted to the specified commit state, while the rest of your working directory remains unchanged.
You will need to stage the changes if you want to commit the revert:
git add path/to/file
And then you can commit the changes:
git commit -m "Reverted path/to/file to commit COMMIT_HASH"
Summary
These commands allow you to selectively revert a file without affecting other changes in your working directory, preserving the current state of other files.