Cheat Sheets · Git Cheat Sheet · Git Discard Local Changes — Safely and Completely

Git Discard Local Changes — Safely and Completely

git restore <file>

Discard changes in one file

git restore .

Discard changes in the entire working tree

git restore --staged <file>

Keep changes, just unstage them

Tracked files (modified but not committed)

Command	Effect
`git restore <file>`	`Discard changes in one file`
`git restore .`	`Discard changes in the entire working tree`
`git restore --staged <file>`	`Keep changes, just unstage them`

Untracked files (new files Git is not watching)

Command	Effect
`git clean -n`	`DRY RUN — list what would be deleted (always start here)`
`git clean -fd`	`Delete untracked files and directories`
`git clean -fdx`	`Also delete ignored files (node_modules, .env…) — extra careful`

Throwing away uncommitted work is the one Git action with no built-in undo — so it pays to know exactly which command throws away what.

Related Git recipes

Undo Last Commit — 3 Safe Ways Delete a Branch — Local and Remote Stash — Park Changes Without Committing Amend the Last Commit Undo a Pushed Commit — The Safe Way (git revert)

FAQ

restore vs the old checkout -- ?
Same effect; restore arrived in Git 2.23 to split checkout's overloaded jobs. checkout still works but restore is clearer.

Can I recover discarded changes?
Tracked-file discards: sometimes, via git fsck --lost-found (dangling blobs) or your IDE's local history. Untracked files removed by clean: gone, unless your editor kept copies.

How do I discard only SOME changes in a file?
git restore -p walks you through hunk by hunk, y/n per change.

Stop memorizing — build it interactively

Build the discard workflow in the Git Builder

Full reference: Git Cheat Sheet