Amend an old commit

Introduction §

Amending an old commit is a useful technique in Git to revise history by modifying a previous commit. This guide will walk you through how to amend an older commit using Lazygit, a simple terminal UI for Git commands. Remember, amending commits that are already pushed to a public repository can cause issues for others who are using the same repository, so it’s best used for local changes.

Lazygit §

Step 1: Access the Files Panel §

Begin by accessing the Files panel in Lazygit:

1. Press 2 to go to 2. Files.
2. Navigate through the list of changed files using ↓/↑ keys or a single click to hover over individual files.

Step 2: Stage Changes §

Next, stage the changes that you want to include in the old commit. This is done by selecting the files and confirming the changes.

 Staging changes in Lazygit

Step 3: Locate the Commit to Amend §

In the Commits window, scroll to find the old commit you wish to amend. This commit does not have to be the most recent one.

 Selecting an old commit in Lazygit

Step 4: Initiate Amend Process §

To begin amending the commit:

1. Press Shift+A to start the amend process.
2. Press Enter to confirm the amendment.

 Amending a commit in Lazygit

Step 5: Observe Commit Hash Changes §

After amending, notice that the hash of the amended commit and all subsequent commits has changed in the Commits window. This is a crucial aspect to be aware of as it indicates that the commit history has been altered.

 Changed commit hashes after amendment in Lazygit

Important Note §

Amending a deeper commit (not the latest one) involves Lazygit performing an internal rebase. This action will regenerate all subsequent commits with different SHA (Secure Hash Algorithm) identifiers. Be mindful that this alters the commit history and can impact shared repositories.

Conclusion §

Amending commits using Lazygit provides a visual and intuitive method to revise your Git history. However, always use this feature with the understanding that changing commit history, especially on shared branches, should be done cautiously. Happy coding!