Github Commit Recovery

Purpose: Access commit content, diffs, and metadata directly from GitHub when you have commit SHAs. Includes methods for retrieving "deleted" commits that remain accessible on GitHub servers.

When to Use This Skill

• You have commit SHAs and need actual code content
• Investigating commits that were force-pushed over ("deleted")
• Need commit diffs, patches, or full file contents
• Verifying commit authorship or metadata
• Retrieving content from dangling commits

SHA Sources: GitHub Archive, git reflog, CI/CD logs, PR comments, issue references, external archives, security reports.

Core Principles

Deleted Commits Are Never Really Deleted:

• When developers force push to "delete" commits, GitHub keeps them indefinitely
• Any commit SHA remains accessible if you know the hash
• GitHub displays a warning ("This commit does not belong to any branch") but serves the content
• Even 4 hex digits can access commits (with collision risk)

: