Oops, Wrong Git Author — Here’s How I Fixed It

Correcting Git Commit Author Information: A Beginner's Guide

In the world of software development, it's not uncommon for developers to push commits with the wrong Git user identity. This can happen due to a variety of reasons, such as working on a shared machine, using multiple accounts, or forgetting to set the correct username and email before committing changes. While this might seem minor, it can lead to confusion in project history and affect collaboration with others.

Before diving into how to delete or correct those errant commits, it's critical to understand the implications of rewriting Git history. When commits are deleted or altered in a shared repository, it can disrupt other team members who may have based their work on those commits. Therefore, managing Git history should be approached with caution.

The Risks of Rewriting History

Rewriting Git history can be risky, especially when it involves shared branches. If others have pulled the commits you're about to delete or alter, they will encounter issues when trying to push their changes. This is why it’s essential to either work on solo branches or coordinate with your team before making any drastic changes to shared branches.

That said, here are some practical methods to delete or amend commits that were pushed with the wrong credentials:

Option 1: Deleting the Last Few Commits with git reset

If you realize that you've pushed a couple of commits with the wrong credentials and they are the most recent ones, you can use the git reset command.

git reset --hard HEAD~N
git push --force

In this command, replace N with the number of commits you want to remove. The git reset --hard command will reset your branch to the state it was in N commits ago, discarding all changes made in those commits. The --force option is necessary to overwrite the remote branch with your local state.

When is it safe to use?

It’s generally safe to use this method on branches that you’re working on alone. If you’re collaborating, make sure to communicate with your team beforehand.

Option 2: Interactively Rebasing with git rebase -i

Another powerful way to amend commits is by using the interactive rebase feature of Git. With this method, you can selectively edit or drop commits.

git rebase -i HEAD~N

This command opens an editor where you can see the last N commits. You can change "pick" to "edit" on the specific commit you want to amend. Save and exit the editor.

If you've chosen a commit to edit, Git will pause the rebase process. Now, you can amend the author details with:

git commit --amend --author="New Name <[e-mail]>"

After making your changes, continue the rebase with:

git rebase --continue

Best Practices to Consider

• Work on Solo Branches: The safest approach is to make these changes on branches that only you are using.
• Communication is Key: If you need to rewrite history on a shared branch, make sure to let your team know so they can prepare for potential issues.
• Use Cleanup Tools: For comprehensive cleanup, especially on platforms like GitHub, consider using tools like BFG Repo-Cleaner, which can help remove sensitive data or incorrect credentials from your commit history.

A Friendly Reminder

Version control is a powerful tool that allows developers to maintain a history of changes and collaborate more effectively. However, with that power comes responsibility. Always be aware of the implications when altering Git history and approach such actions with caution. The next time you push a commit, just double-check that your credentials are correct—your future self will thank you!