Debugging and Resolving Git Issues: From Merge Conflicts to Resetting Commits

Introduction

Git is a powerful tool for version control, but let’s be honest—it can sometimes feel like a frustrating puzzle when things go wrong. Whether you’re dealing with merge conflicts, accidentally committed changes, or needing to reset your project, understanding how to fix common Git problems will save you from major headaches.

In this guide, we’ll cover the most frequent Git issues and how to resolve them step by step.

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1️⃣ Merge Conflicts: Why Do They Happen?

What is a Merge Conflict?

A merge conflict happens when two branches modify the same part of a file differently. Since Git doesn’t know which version to keep, it asks you to resolve it manually.

How to Fix a Merge Conflict

1. Git warns you about a conflict:

git merge feature-branch
Auto-merging index.html
CONFLICT (content): Merge conflict in index.html

2. Open the conflicted file (e.g., index.html) and you’ll see:

<<<<<< HEAD  # Changes from the main branch
<p>Old content</p>
======
<p>New content from feature-branch</p>
>>>>>> feature-branch

3. Choose which version to keep, remove Git’s conflict markers (<<<<<<, ======, >>>>>>), and save the file.

4. Mark the conflict as resolved:

git add index.html

5. Complete the merge:

git commit -m "Resolved merge conflict in index.html"

Now your branch is successfully merged!

🔗 GitHub Docs: How to Resolve Merge Conflicts

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2️⃣ Undoing Mistakes: Resetting and Reverting Commits

Sometimes, you make a commit and realize you’ve messed up. Don’t panic! Git provides different ways to fix mistakes.

Scenario 1: Undo the Last Commit (But Keep Changes)

If you committed too early and want to edit your changes before pushing:

git reset --soft HEAD~1

This moves your last commit back to the staging area so you can modify it.

Scenario 2: Undo the Last Commit (And Remove Changes)

If you want to completely discard the last commit:

git reset --hard HEAD~1

⚠️ Warning: This permanently deletes your changes.

Scenario 3: Revert a Commit Without Losing History

Instead of deleting a commit, you can create a new commit that undoes a previous one:

git revert <commit-hash>

This is useful when working in a team because it preserves history.

🔗 GitHub Docs: How to Revert a Commit

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3️⃣ Fixing an Accidental Commit to the Wrong Branch

Oops! You committed changes to the wrong branch. Here’s how to fix it:

1. Undo the commit but keep the changes:git reset HEAD~1
2. Switch to the correct branch:git switch correct-branch
3. Recommit the changes:git add . git commit -m "Moved changes to the correct branch"

🔗 GitHub Docs: Git Reset vs. Revert

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4️⃣ Deleting a Branch Safely

Once a feature branch is merged, it’s good practice to delete it to keep your repo clean.

Delete a Local Branch:

git branch -d feature-branch

If Git warns that the branch isn’t fully merged and you really want to delete it:

git branch -D feature-branch

Delete a Remote Branch:

git push origin --delete feature-branch

🔗 GitHub Docs: Deleting a Branch

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Conclusion

Git issues happen to everyone, but now you know how to debug, reset, revert, and merge with confidence! Whether you’re dealing with merge conflicts, committing to the wrong branch, or needing to roll back changes, these fixes will keep your workflow smooth.

🎯 Next Steps: Explore GitHub Actions to automate testing and deployment.

💬 Have questions? Drop a comment below! 🚀