Need help recovering repository after accidental/malicious force push wiped all branches

[akhildhiman]

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Hi, a repository was force-pushed, and all branches were overwritten with a single file. This effectively wiped out the entire codebase. Is it possible for GitHub to restore the repository state from before the destructive force push?

[s1nit0]

Since a "force push" does not immediately delete the old commits from GitHub's servers, yes, it is often possible to recover the repository, even if all branches were overwritten.

Here are the steps to recover your code:

Option 1: The "Local Reflog"

If you (or a collaborator) have a local clone of the repository that was pulled before the disaster occurred, the history is still on that machine.

1. Do not pull or fetch on that machine yet (to avoid overwriting the good state).
2. Open your terminal in that repository.
3. Run git reflog.

• This shows a history of where your local HEAD was. Look for an entry from before the destructive action. It will look like HEAD@{1}: commit: Your last good message.

4. Reset your local branch to that good commit hash:

git reset --hard <COMMIT_HASH>

5. Force push this "good" state back to GitHub:

git push --force origin <branch_name>

6. Repeat for other branches if they were checked out locally.

Option 2: Find the "Before" Commit ID via GitHub API

If you don't have a local copy, you can find the commit hash (SHA) of your branch from before the force push using GitHub's public events API.

1. Open this URL in your browser (replace OWNER and REPO with your details):
   https://api.github.com/repos/akhildhiman/REPO/events
2. Look for a PushEvent.
3. Inside that event, look for the payload object. You will see a before field containing a long string of characters (e.g., 7b3f1...).

• This before hash is the commit your branch pointed to before the wipe.

4. Once you have that hash, you can restore it locally and push it back:

# Create a new branch pointing specifically to that recovered commit
git checkout -b recovered-branch <BEFORE_HASH>

# Push this branch to GitHub to save it
git push origin recovered-branch

5. If that works, you can reset your main branches to this recovered state.

Important: Act quickly. While GitHub keeps these "dangling" commits for a while, they are eventually cleaned up by automated garbage collection.

[jhapendra-kandel]

GitHub can't restore it automatically (no backups for force pushes).
Best shot right now:

On your local machine (if you still have it): Run git reflog, find old commit hash before wipe, then git checkout -b recover and push it back.
No local? Ask collaborators/forks if they have old clone.
Last: Contact GitHub support with details — they rarely help, but try if it was malicious.

Prevention: Enable branch protection to block force pushes.
Sorry man, hope you recover it quick

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[Rajveer-code]

This is painful, but don’t panic — recovery is often still possible.

1. Check local clones first

If anyone has a local copy:

git reflog

You can find old commits and push them back.

2. Check GitHub UI / forks
   Look at forks (they may still have old history)
   Check if any old commits are visible via PRs/issues
3. Try restoring from commit SHA

If you find an old commit:

git reset --hard
git push --force
4. GitHub support (important)

GitHub may be able to restore deleted history if contacted quickly.

👉 Open a support ticket and include:

Repo name
Approx time of force push
That it was accidental
TL;DR
Check local repos / forks first
Use reflog to recover commits
Contact GitHub ASAP for possible restore

Time matters here — the sooner you act, the better 👍

[Rajveer-code]

This happens more often than you’d think — and recovery is usually possible.

1. Check local clones (best chance)

If anyone has a local repo:

git reflog

Find the old commit and push it back:

git push --force origin
2. Check forks / PRs
Forks may still have full history
Old commits can sometimes be found in PRs
3. Use commit SHA (if known)
git reset --hard
git push --force
4. Contact GitHub ASAP

GitHub can sometimes restore history, but only for a limited time.

Include:

Repo name
Time of force push
That it was accidental
TL;DR
Try local repos first (reflog)
Check forks
Contact GitHub quickly

Act fast — recovery chances drop over time 👍

[sinnerfilozofiya]

🚨 Recovering a Repository After a Destructive Force Push

Yes — recovery is often still possible. A force push does not immediately delete commits, it only moves branch references. The underlying data usually remains for some time.

Below is a complete recovery guide with strategies ranked by effectiveness.

---

🥇 1. Check Local Clones (Best Chance)

If you or a collaborator has a local copy from before the force push:

⚠️ Do NOT run git pull or git fetch

git reflog

Find the last good commit, then:

git checkout -b recovery <COMMIT_HASH>
git push origin recovery

---

🧠 2. Use git fsck (Often Missed)

Even if reflog is limited, Git can still find dangling commits:

git fsck --lost-found

This may expose commits that are no longer referenced by any branch.

---

🌐 3. Check Forks (Very Powerful)

Forks are independent copies and are NOT affected by your force push.

• Browse repository forks
• Find one with intact history
• Clone it and push it back to your repo

git clone
git remote add original
git push original main --force

---

🔍 4. Search GitHub UI Artifacts

You might still find commits in:

• Closed Pull Requests
• Old commit links
• Cached pages

If you find a commit SHA:

git checkout -b recovery
git push origin recovery

---

🔗 5. GitHub Events API

You can sometimes retrieve the previous commit from PushEvent:

https://api.github.com/repos/OWNER/REPO/events

Look for a "before" field inside PushEvent.

---

🆘 6. Contact GitHub Support

GitHub does NOT guarantee recovery, but in some cases they can help if contacted quickly.

Include:

• Repository name
• Approximate time of the force push
• Whether it was accidental or malicious

---

⏱️ 7. Act Fast

Unreferenced commits are eventually deleted by garbage collection.

The sooner you act, the higher your chances of recovery.

---

🛡️ 8. Prevention (Highly Recommended)

• Enable branch protection rules:

  • Disable force pushes
  • Require pull requests

• Keep backups:
  git clone --mirror

• Use tags/releases for important commits

---

✅ Summary

• Local clones and forks are your best recovery options
• Use reflog and git fsck to find lost commits
• GitHub support may help, but is not guaranteed
• Time is critical — act immediately