"I messed up a file and want the clean version"

git restore <file>

Overwrites a tracked file in the working directory with its last committed (HEAD) version. Confirmed directly in this lab: genuinely erases whatever corruption exists in the working copy, replacing it entirely with the real committed content.

git restore --source=<commit> -- <file>

Overwrites a file in the working directory with its version from any specific commit, not just HEAD. Confirmed directly in this lab pulling a real, several-commits-old version of cookies.md for comparison, then restoring back to HEAD once done.

💥 Corrupt a Real File

Overwrite salsa.md with genuine nonsense — exactly the kind of accident this lesson recovers from.

cd ~/recipes && printf 'asdkfjalksdjf garbage nonsense\n' > salsa.md

cd ~/recipes && cat salsa.md

cd ~/recipes && git status

student@lab:~$ cd ~/recipes && printf 'asdkfjalksdjf garbage nonsense\n' > salsa.md student@lab:~$ cd ~/recipes && cat salsa.md asdkfjalksdjf garbage nonsense student@lab:~$ cd ~/recipes && git status On branch master Changes not staged for commit: (use "git add <file>..." to update what will be committed) (use "git restore <file>..." to discard changes in working directory) modified: salsa.md Untracked files: (use "git add <file>..." to include in what will be committed) notes.txt no changes added to commit (use "git add" and/or "git commit -a")

🧹 Restore the Clean Version

Use git restore to overwrite the corrupted salsa.md with its last committed version.

cd ~/recipes && git restore salsa.md

cd ~/recipes && cat salsa.md

student@lab:~$ cd ~/recipes && git restore salsa.md student@lab:~$ cd ~/recipes && cat salsa.md Fresh Salsa Dice tomatoes, onion, cilantro; mix with lime juice and salt.

🕰️ Pull In a Specific Earlier Version to Compare

Find an old version of cookies.md several commits back, and pull it into the working directory just to look at it.

cd ~/recipes && git log --oneline --no-decorate -- cookies.md

cd ~/recipes && git show 22779d0:cookies.md

cd ~/recipes && git restore --source=22779d0 -- cookies.md

cd ~/recipes && cat cookies.md

student@lab:~$ cd ~/recipes && git log --oneline --no-decorate -- cookies.md 5997d5c Add serving note to cookie recipe 7451729 Increase butter back to 175g for a richer flavor 59cee07 Reduce butter to 150g per taste-test feedback 22779d0 Add butter quantity to cookie ingredients 9db68e6 Add variations note to cookie recipe dda949a Credit the recipe source in the cookie title c7a2617 Add step-by-step instructions to cookie recipe fd509ba asdf c764cd9 Add prep time estimates to all three recipes cd7e65b Add ingredients list and pasta recipe 7fb33b3 Add chocolate chip cookie recipe student@lab:~$ cd ~/recipes && git show 22779d0:cookies.md Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe (Grandma's) Ingredients: flour, sugar, butter (200g), chocolate chips Serves: 24 cookies Prep time: 15 minutes Instructions: 1. Cream the fat and sugar together. 2. Beat in the eggs one at a time. 3. Mix in the flour and chocolate chips. 4. Drop spoonfuls onto a baking sheet. 5. Bake at 190C for 10-12 minutes. Variations: add walnuts, or swap half the chocolate chips for M&Ms. student@lab:~$ cd ~/recipes && git restore --source=22779d0 -- cookies.md student@lab:~$ cd ~/recipes && cat cookies.md Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe (Grandma's) Ingredients: flour, sugar, butter (200g), chocolate chips Serves: 24 cookies Prep time: 15 minutes Instructions: 1. Cream the fat and sugar together. 2. Beat in the eggs one at a time. 3. Mix in the flour and chocolate chips. 4. Drop spoonfuls onto a baking sheet. 5. Bake at 190C for 10-12 minutes. Variations: add walnuts, or swap half the chocolate chips for M&Ms.

↩️ Restore Back to the Latest Version

The comparison is done — bring cookies.md back to its current, real HEAD version.

cd ~/recipes && git restore --source=HEAD -- cookies.md

cd ~/recipes && cat cookies.md

cd ~/recipes && git status

student@lab:~$ cd ~/recipes && git restore --source=HEAD -- cookies.md student@lab:~$ cd ~/recipes && cat cookies.md Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe (Grandma's) Ingredients: flour, sugar, butter (175g), chocolate chips Serves: 24 cookies Prep time: 15 minutes Serve warm, ideally straight off the baking sheet. Instructions: 1. Cream the fat and sugar together. 2. Beat in the eggs one at a time. 3. Mix in the flour and chocolate chips. 4. Drop spoonfuls onto a baking sheet. 5. Bake at 190C for 10-12 minutes. Variations: add walnuts, or swap half the chocolate chips for M&Ms. student@lab:~$ cd ~/recipes && git status On branch master Untracked files: (use "git add <file>..." to include in what will be committed) notes.txt nothing added to commit but untracked files present (use "git add" to track)