How can you safely reset your local branch to match the remote HEAD ?
I tried:
git reset --hard HEAD
But git status claims I have modified files:
On branch master
Changes to be committed:
(use “git reset HEAD …” to unstage)
modified: java/com/mycompany/TestContacts.java
modified: java/com/mycompany/TestParser.java
Hey Mehta,
Here’s how to ensure your local branch reflects the latest changes on the remote repository’s main branch (assuming it’s called “master”) while offering a safety net for your uncommitted work:
Fetch Updates:
Use git fetch origin to download the most recent information from the remote repository named “origin”.
Reset with Caution (Optional):
The command git reset --hard origin/master resets your local branch to perfectly match the remote’s “master” branch. Crucially, this discards any uncommitted changes in your working directory!
Saving Your Work (Optional):
If you want to play it safe and potentially retain your uncommitted work, follow these steps before the reset:
Create a commit to capture your current progress: git commit -a -m “Saving my work, just in case” (This message describes the commit’s purpose).
Create a new branch to store your saved work: git branch my-saved-work. This creates a separate branch named “my-saved-work” that holds your current state.
Now, if you proceed with the reset using git reset --hard origin/master, you can always switch back to your saved work using git checkout my-saved-work or compare the changes later with git diff my-saved-work master.
Important Note:
The initial commands assume your remote repository is named “origin” and the local branch you’re working on matches the remote’s “master” branch.
Additional Consideration:
The scenario described might indicate a recent push to your local branch (which isn’t recommended, especially for the currently checked-out branch). If you haven’t pushed recently, disregard this point.
Hello Mehta_tvara,
Streamlining Your Workflow: Resetting to Upstream and Cleaning Up
This guide outlines a three-step process to efficiently reset your local branch to the most recent upstream branch state and remove any unwanted files:
Reset to Upstream HEAD:
Utilize the command git reset --hard @{u} (or git reset --hard @{upstream} for clarity) to synchronize your local branch with the upstream branch’s latest HEAD.
The benefit of @{u} or @{upstream} is that you don’t need to specify the exact remote repository and branch names.
Caution: This discards any uncommitted changes in your working directory, so proceed with care!
Optional: Clean Up Untracked Files (with Caution):
If you want to eliminate untracked files (those not yet added to version control), use the command git clean -df.
Warning: This command permanently deletes untracked files. Ensure you don’t need them before proceeding!
The -d flag instructs git clean to remove directories as well, and -f forces the deletion without prompting for confirmation.
Optional: Fetch Latest Changes (if Needed):
To retrieve the most recent updates from the remote repository, run git pull.
This step is only necessary if you haven’t already fetched the latest changes before the reset.