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First, stop writes and preserve the repository
Stop the AI tool, scripts, editors, and other processes that might continue changing files or Git metadata. Copy or archive the full working tree and Git directory before attempting repair. The Git user manual calls backups “the first defense against such problems” and advises making one before manually replacing objects (Git user manual).
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The Git directory is often named .git, but linked worktrees and separate Git directories can place repository metadata elsewhere. Preserve the complete repository, not just the visible project files. If possible, do all investigation on the preserved copy and leave the original untouched.
Before changing anything, note the command or tool action, current branch, HEAD, git status output, and any error messages. Avoid exploratory cleanup such as pruning: dangling objects may contain recoverable work, and Git advises pruning only when the repository is quiescent (Git user manual).
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Identify what was damaged
These symptoms point to different recovery paths. A moved branch tip does not necessarily mean its commit is gone; missing object data cannot be recreated just by moving a reference.
| What may have happened | What to inspect | Likely recovery route |
|---|---|---|
A reset, rebase, checkout, or similar action moved a branch or HEAD |
Reflog entries and candidate commit objects | Verify a former commit and preserve it on a recovery branch |
| Files or staged changes disappeared, but commit history appears intact | Working-tree copy, index state, reflogs, and available backups | Recover from a preserved copy or another source containing the missing work; Git references do not guarantee recovery of uncommitted changes |
| Git reports missing objects, corrupt objects, or hash mismatches | git fsck --full output and known-good copies |
Restore the needed objects or repository state from a backup, clone, or archive |
Recover a moved branch tip with the reflog
The reflog records local updates to reference tips; the HEAD reflog also records branch switches. It can reveal a commit that a reset or rebase moved out of the current branch’s history. Run git reflog on the preserved copy, then inspect the relevant branch’s reflog as well as HEAD history (git-reflog documentation).
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Review entries around the time of the suspected operation. Identify a candidate commit ID from the recorded prior state rather than guessing.
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Inspect the candidate commit and its tree before restoring anything. Confirm its parent history and files match the work you expect.
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Create a separate branch pointing to the verified commit, for example
git branch recovery <commit-id>. The Git recovery guide uses this approach to preserve a recovered commit (Git Internals — Maintenance and Data Recovery). -
Compare the recovered branch with the damaged branch and validate the files before deciding how to reintegrate it. Keep the damaged branch unchanged until the restored state is confirmed.
Reflogs are local history, not a remote backup, and their entries can expire. Git’s current documentation gives default expiry periods of 90 days for reachable entries and 30 days for unreachable entries; repository configuration can change those defaults, so they are not guarantees (git-reflog documentation).
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If the reflog does not identify the desired state, check the object database on the preserved copy with git fsck --full. Git describes this command as checking the connectivity and validity of objects; its output can identify dangling or unreachable objects, missing objects, and hash mismatches (git-fsck documentation).
A dangling commit may still contain a recoverable line of history. Verify its files and parents before creating a branch that points to it; dangling means no current reference reaches the object, not that it is necessarily the version you want. The Git recovery guide describes finding dangling commits and preserving a candidate with a branch (Git Internals — Maintenance and Data Recovery).
Do not substitute git fsck --connectivity-only when you need to check blob contents: Git notes that connectivity-only checking avoids reading blobs and therefore will not detect corruption inside blob contents (git-fsck documentation).
git fsck --lost-found can write dangling objects into .git/lost-found. Use it only after preserving a copy, and treat the output as an aid for locating objects, not an automatic recovery of meaningful file or project state (git-fsck documentation).
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1Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute2Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems3Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesChoose a recovery source for the kind of loss
Reflog and fsck help locate state that is still present locally. If the objects themselves are damaged or missing, Git cannot recreate their data from an error report; the missing content must come from another copy. Git’s manual says corrupt objects need to be found in backups or other archives, and describes synchronization from another site as a possible source (git-fsck documentation; Git user manual).
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| Recovery source | Best suited to | Main limitation |
|---|---|---|
| Reflog | A branch tip or HEAD moved by reset, rebase, checkout, or a similar reference update |
Local entries may have expired or been removed; reflog cannot recreate missing object data |
Dangling commits found by fsck |
A commit object remains, but no reference points to it | Requires careful identification; the dangling state may not be the intended version |
| Remote clone, archive, or backup | Missing or corrupt objects, or broader repository loss | May not contain unpushed local work or the exact state that was damaged |
Before fetching from a remote or copying objects from another repository, preserve the damaged state and determine which refs and objects you intend to restore. A remote clone may have useful shared history, but it cannot be assumed to contain local commits or changes that were never pushed.
Git’s user manual notes that a single missing blob can sometimes be repaired, while missing trees and especially commits are harder; it treats hand replacement of objects as a last resort and recommends backing up first (Git user manual). If you cannot identify a trustworthy source for the missing data, avoid ad hoc object replacement that could make the repository harder to recover.
Validate before moving the primary branch
A commit can be structurally present without containing the application state you need. Inspect the candidate’s history and files, compare its tree with the expected work, and run the project’s normal checks. Git’s documentation explains how to locate and preserve candidate commits; deciding whether their contents are correct depends on the project.
Keep the recovery branch and damaged branch separate until the restored files and history are confirmed. Only then choose how to reintegrate the recovered work into the primary branch.
Prevent the next recovery incident
Keep a separate backup of important repositories and verify that it can be read. Git garbage collection retains objects reachable from refs, the index, remote-tracking branches, and reflogs, among other sources, but concurrent operations can put objects at risk before they are referenced (git-gc documentation). Stop repository writers during recovery, and do not rely on reflog retention as your only backup.
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