Learn how to Recover specific data by using Git commands

Learn how to Recover specific data by using Git commands

Git provides powerful features for recovering lost data, such as commits, files, and specific lines of code. Below are some key commands and steps for recovering specific data, along with a sample scenario.

1. Recovering Commits

Recover Deleted Commits:

Git reflog:

Shows a history of actions on the repository, including deleted commits.

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git reflog

Recovering a commit:

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git checkout <commit-hash>

2. Recovering Files

Recover Deleted Files:

Git checkout:

Checkout the commit that contains the desired file.

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git checkout <commit-hash> -- path/to/file

Recover Specific Lines of Code:

Use git show or git diff to view and recover specific lines of code.

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git show <commit-hash>:path/to/file

3. Recovering Specific Lines of Code

Recover Deleted Code Lines:

Git blame:

Identifies who made changes to specific lines of code.

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git blame path/to/file

4. Recovering Deleted Commits or Branches

Recover Deleted Branches:

Git reflog:

Use reflog to view deleted branches.

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git reflog

Checkout the desired branch from reflog:

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git checkout -b <branch-name> <commit-hash>

Sample Scenario: Viewing Commit History, Restoring a Deleted File, Verifying Changes

Scenario:

A file config.yaml has been accidentally deleted, and you want to restore it from an earlier commit.

1. Viewing Commit History:

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   git log -- path/to/config.yaml
   

2. Restoring the Deleted File: Checkout the commit containing the file:

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   git checkout <commit-hash> -- path/to/config.yaml
   

3. Verifying Changes: Check the file's contents after restoring:

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   cat path/to/config.yaml
   

4. Staging and Committing Changes: Stage and commit the recovered file:

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   git add path/to/config.yaml
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   git commit -m "Restore config.yaml"
   

5. Additional Commands for Data Recovery

1. Git log: View commit history.

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   git log
   

2. Git diff: Compare changes between commits, branches, or paths.

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   git diff <commit-hash>~1 <commit-hash>
   

3. Git show: View changes in a specific commit.

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   git show <commit-hash>
   

6. Benefits of Git Data Recovery

1. Efficiency: Quickly restore lost commits, files, or lines of code.

2. Accuracy: Targeted recovery reduces unnecessary data recovery.

3. Version Control: Maintains a reliable history of changes for better collaboration and auditing.

Summary

By leveraging these commands, users can efficiently recover specific data from Git repositories, ensuring minimal data loss and smooth recovery workflows.