git reset --hard explained (soft vs mixed vs hard) - Rocketeers

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git reset --hard explained (soft vs mixed vs hard)
==================================================

### [\#Development](https://rocketee.rs/index.php/development)

git reset moves your branch to another commit. The --soft, --mixed and --hard flags decide what happens to your staged and working changes, and --hard is the one that actually throws work away.

 Published by [Mark van Eijk](https://rocketee.rs/index.php/author/mark-van-eijk) on June 23, 2026 · 1 minute read

1. [What git reset does](#content-what-git-reset-does)
2. [Undo the last commit, keep the work](#content-undo-the-last-commit-keep-the-work)
3. [Discard everything with --hard](#content-discard-everything-with---hard)
4. [Recovering after a --hard reset](#content-recovering-after-a---hard-reset)

[\#](#content-what-git-reset-does "Permalink")What git reset does
-----------------------------------------------------------------

`git reset` moves the current branch tip to a commit you choose. The flag controls how far the reset reaches:

- `--soft`: move the branch, **keep** everything staged.
- `--mixed` (the default): move the branch, unstage changes, keep them in your working directory.
- `--hard`: move the branch and **discard** all staged and working-directory changes.

[\#](#content-undo-the-last-commit-keep-the-work "Permalink")Undo the last commit, keep the work
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

To undo your most recent commit but keep the changes so you can re-commit them, use `--soft` or the default `--mixed`:

 ```
git reset --soft HEAD~1   # commit undone, changes still staged
git reset HEAD~1          # commit undone, changes unstaged but present

```

[\#](#content-discard-everything-with---hard "Permalink")Discard everything with --hard
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

`--hard` resets the branch and wipes uncommitted changes. Use it when you genuinely want to throw work away:

 ```
git reset --hard HEAD     # discard all uncommitted changes
git reset --hard HEAD~1   # delete the last commit and its changes

```

A common use is forcing your local branch to match the remote exactly:

 ```
git fetch origin
git reset --hard origin/main

```

This is destructive. Anything not committed is gone. If you only want to clean up *untracked* files (not reset tracked ones), use [git clean](/git-remove-untracked-files) instead.

[\#](#content-recovering-after-a---hard-reset "Permalink")Recovering after a --hard reset
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

If you reset away a commit you actually needed, it is usually still findable for a while. `git reflog` records where `HEAD` has been:

 ```
git reflog
git reset --hard 

```

Note that `reflog` only recovers committed work. Changes that were never committed and got discarded by `--hard` cannot be recovered. When in doubt, [stash](/git-stash-pop) your changes instead of resetting.

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