restore deleted branch git

Guri Bee

3 min read

·

19-10-2024

1

0

Share

Resurrecting a Lost Branch: How to Restore Deleted Branches in Git

Have you ever accidentally deleted a Git branch? It happens to the best of us! Fear not, Git is designed to be resilient, and there are ways to recover your lost branch. This article will guide you through different methods for restoring deleted branches, ensuring you can retrieve your valuable work.

Understanding Git Branch Deletion

Before we dive into recovery, it's essential to understand that Git doesn't instantly erase deleted branches from your repository. Instead, it removes the reference to the branch, effectively hiding it. As long as the commit history associated with the deleted branch is still present in your local repository, it can be recovered.

Methods to Restore a Deleted Branch

Let's explore the primary methods for restoring deleted branches:

1. Using the reflog

The reflog is a powerful tool that records all changes made to your local repository. It includes branch creation, deletion, and even commit modifications. To restore a deleted branch using the reflog:

1. Identify the branch name: Remember the name of the deleted branch.
2. Access the reflog: Use the command git reflog to display the list of recent changes.
3. Locate the branch deletion: Search for an entry indicating the branch was deleted (usually "branch: deleted"). Note the corresponding commit hash.
4. Recreate the branch: Run the command git checkout -b <branch_name> <commit_hash>. This will create a new branch with the same commits as the deleted one.

Example:

# Identify the branch name
git reflog
# Output:
# ...
# 3274f93 HEAD@{1}: checkout: moving from master to new-feature
# ...
# 3274f93 HEAD@{12}: branch: deleted 'new-feature' (forced)
# ...

# Recreate the branch
git checkout -b new-feature 3274f93

2. Utilizing git branch -a and git checkout

If you have pushed your deleted branch to a remote repository, you can potentially restore it from there:

1. List all branches: Run git branch -a to list all local and remote branches.
2. Locate the deleted branch: Identify the deleted branch among the remote branches.
3. Checkout the remote branch: Execute git checkout <remote/branch_name>. This will switch you to the remote branch, effectively restoring it locally.

Example:

# List all branches
git branch -a
# Output:
# ...
#  remotes/origin/HEAD -> origin/master
#  remotes/origin/master
#  remotes/origin/new-feature
# ...

# Checkout the remote branch
git checkout origin/new-feature

3. Leveraging git log and git checkout

If you know the last commit SHA-1 hash of the deleted branch, you can use git log to find the commit and git checkout to create a new branch based on it:

1. Identify the commit hash: Use git log to search for the desired commit.
2. Create a new branch: Execute git checkout -b <branch_name> <commit_hash>.

Example:

# Identify the commit hash
git log
# Output:
# ...
# commit 3274f93
# Author: Your Name <[email protected]>
# Date:   Sun Oct 29 18:15:02 2023 +0100
# ...

# Create a new branch
git checkout -b new-feature 3274f93

4. Restoring a Deleted Branch from a Remote Repository (Advanced)

If the branch was deleted from your local repository but still exists on the remote repository, you can restore it using the following steps:

1. Fetch the remote branches: Run git fetch origin to retrieve the latest branches from the remote repository.
2. Checkout the deleted branch: Execute git checkout -b <branch_name> origin/<branch_name>.

Example:

# Fetch remote branches
git fetch origin

# Checkout the deleted branch
git checkout -b new-feature origin/new-feature

Important Note:

• Always double-check the commit history before restoring a branch to ensure it contains the desired changes.
• Use caution when recovering branches, as the process might overwrite your current work.

Conclusion

Restoring a deleted branch in Git is achievable, thanks to the tools available. Understanding the reflog, remote branches, and commit history is key. By applying the methods described above, you can retrieve your lost work and continue coding efficiently. Always remember to backup your repository regularly to avoid data loss.