> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://www.pranaypourkar.co.in/the-programmers-guide/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://www.pranaypourkar.co.in/the-programmers-guide/git/workflows/patch-and-recovery.md). # Patch & Recovery ## **About** **Patch & Recovery** covers techniques like `git cherry-pick`, `revert`, and `reset` to selectively apply or undo changes in a Git repository. These commands are crucial for maintaining stability when rolling back faulty commits, backporting changes to older releases, or applying fixes across multiple branches. ## **Importance** Software teams frequently encounter situations requiring surgical precision: * A critical bug fixed on `main` needs to be applied to a legacy `support/1.x` branch — `cherry-pick` enables that without merging unrelated changes. * A developer accidentally pushes a bad commit to production — `git revert` safely creates an undo commit without altering history. * During test cycles, the team may experiment on `develop` and want to reset only their local changes — `reset` or `restore` are vital here. These practices reduce downtime, limit blast radius from mistakes, and give teams confidence in experimenting or reacting to production issues without compromising history. --- # Agent Instructions This documentation is published with GitBook. GitBook is the documentation platform designed so that both humans and AI agents can read, navigate, and reason over technical content effectively. Learn more at gitbook.com. ## Querying This Documentation If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation dynamically by asking a question. Perform an HTTP GET request on the current page URL with the `ask` query parameter, and the optional `goal` query parameter: ``` GET https://www.pranaypourkar.co.in/the-programmers-guide/git/workflows/patch-and-recovery.md?ask=&goal= ``` `ask` is the immediate question: it should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language. `goal` is optional and describes the broader end goal you are ultimately trying to accomplish on behalf of the user. GitBook uses it to tailor the answer towards what is most useful for that goal. The response will contain a direct answer to the question and relevant excerpts and sources from the documentation. Use this mechanism when the answer is not explicitly present in the current page, you need clarification or additional context, or you want to retrieve related documentation sections.