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Why does git revert complain about a missing -m option

February 20, 2025

Why does git revert complain about a missing -m option

Person you always been running connected a Git task, attempting to back a perpetrate with git revert, lone to beryllium greeted by the irritating communication: “mistake: perpetrate is a merge however nary -m action was fixed”? This mistake tin beryllium a existent roadblock, particularly once you’re nether force to hole a bug oregon revert a problematic alteration rapidly. Knowing wherefore Git requires the -m action successful this circumstantial script and however to usage it efficaciously is important for immoderate developer running with Git. This article volition dive heavy into the causes down this mistake communication, offering broad explanations and applicable examples to aid you navigate this communal Git situation.

Knowing Git Revert

The git revert bid is a almighty implement for undoing modifications successful your Git past. Dissimilar git reset, which removes commits wholly, git revert creates a fresh perpetrate that reverses the adjustments launched by a circumstantial perpetrate. This attack preserves your task’s past, making it simpler to path modifications and collaborate with others. Reverting is mostly safer and most popular for undoing adjustments successful shared repositories.

git revert plant by making use of the inverse of the adjustments launched by the mark perpetrate. For elemental commits, this procedure is easy. Nevertheless, issues acquire a spot much analyzable once dealing with merge commits.

The -m Action and Merge Commits

Merge commits correspond the integration of modifications from antithetic branches. They person 2 oregon much genitor commits, reflecting the branches that had been merged. This is wherever the -m action turns into indispensable. Once reverting a merge perpetrate, Git wants to cognize which genitor subdivision’s modifications ought to beryllium reversed. The -m action, adopted by a figure (1 oregon better), specifies the genitor to usage arsenic the baseline for the revert.

For illustration, git revert -m 1 <perpetrate-hash> tells Git to revert the modifications comparative to the archetypal genitor (normally the chief subdivision). Utilizing -m 2 would revert comparative to the 2nd genitor (sometimes the characteristic subdivision). Failing to supply the -m action with a merge perpetrate leads to the mistake communication we’re discussing.

Selecting the accurate genitor is important for attaining the desired result. See the discourse of the merge and which modifications you mean to back.

However to Take the Accurate Genitor

Deciding on the correct genitor for the -m action relies upon connected which broadside of the merge you privation to support and which you privation to back. Ideate merging a characteristic subdivision into your chief subdivision. If you privation to back the full characteristic integration, you would usage -m 1 to revert comparative to the chief subdivision. This efficaciously removes the adjustments launched by the characteristic subdivision.

Conversely, if you privation to back the merge however support the modifications from the characteristic subdivision arsenic if they had been dedicated straight to the chief subdivision, you would usage -m 2. This is little communal however tin beryllium utile successful definite conditions.

To visualize the genitor commits, usage git entertainment <merge-perpetrate-hash>. The output volition intelligibly bespeak the genitor commits, serving to you brand an knowledgeable determination.

Champion Practices for Utilizing git revert

To debar points and guarantee creaseless reverts, travel these champion practices:

  • Trial the revert successful a abstracted subdivision earlier making use of it to the chief subdivision.
  • Intelligibly papers the ground for the revert successful the perpetrate communication.
  • Pass with your squad once reverting modifications successful a shared repository.

Present’s an illustration of reverting a merge perpetrate:

  1. Place the merge perpetrate hash.
  2. Tally git revert -m 1 <merge-perpetrate-hash> (regenerate 1 with the accurate genitor figure).
  3. Perpetrate the revert.

By knowing the logic down the -m action and pursuing these champion practices, you tin confidently usage git revert to back modifications efficaciously and keep a cleanable Git past. This businesslike workflow prevents unintended information failure and simplifies collaboration. Entree additional Git assets by way of this adjuvant nexus.

FAQ

Q: What if I bury the -m action and already dedicated the revert?

A: You tin usage git reset Caput^ to back the incorrect revert and past execute the revert once more with the accurate -m action.

[Infographic Placeholder: Visualizing a merge perpetrate and its dad and mom, on with the consequence of reverting with antithetic -m choices]

Mastering Git is an ongoing procedure. Knowing however to grip merge commits and the value of the -m action with git revert is a important measure successful that travel. By implementing these strategies and constantly pursuing champion practices, you’ll go much proficient astatine managing your task’s past and resolving points efficaciously. Research additional by researching associated subjects similar git cherry-choice and git rebase to grow your Git toolkit. Retrieve that a fine-maintained Git past is critical for palmy collaboration and businesslike task improvement.

Question & Answer :
I’m running connected a task with another group, and location are aggregate GitHub forks being labored connected. Person conscionable made a hole for a job and I merged with his fork, however past I realized that I may discovery a amended resolution. I privation to revert the perpetrate I conscionable made. I tried doing this with git revert Caput however it gave maine this mistake:

deadly: Perpetrate <SHA1> is a merge however nary -m action was fixed.

What does that average? Once I merged and dedicated, I did usage the -m action to opportunity “Merged with <username>”.

What americium I doing incorrect present?

By default git revert refuses to revert a merge perpetrate arsenic what that really means is ambiguous. I presume that your Caput is successful information a merge perpetrate.

If you privation to revert the merge perpetrate, you person to specify which genitor of the merge you privation to see to beryllium the chief trunk, i.e. what you privation to revert to.

Frequently this volition beryllium genitor figure 1, for illustration if you had been connected maestro and did git merge undesirable and past determined to revert the merge of undesirable. The archetypal genitor would beryllium your pre-merge maestro subdivision and the 2nd genitor would beryllium the end of undesirable.

Successful this lawsuit you might bash:

git revert -m 1 Caput 

git feline-record -p [MERGE_COMMIT_ID] volition entertainment the genitor branches successful command. The archetypal 1 listed would beryllium -m 1, the 2nd -m 2.