Why git can't do hard/soft resets by path?

git git-reset
yao picture yao · Jun 26, 2012 · Viewed 82.1k times · Source

$ git reset -- <file_path> can reset by path.

However, $ git reset (--hard|--soft) <file_path> will report an error like below:

Cannot do hard|soft reset with paths.

Answer

Amber picture Amber · Jun 26, 2012

Because there's no point (other commands provide that functionality already), and it reduces the potential for doing the wrong thing by accident.

A "hard reset" for a path is just done with git checkout HEAD -- <path> (checking out the existing version of the file).

A soft reset for a path doesn't make sense.

A mixed reset for a path is what git reset -- <path> does.

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