Reset master to an empty state

Question

I created a new Rails app and pushed the code to Github directly from master (first commit in the repository). However I made a mistake, I didn't want to commit this new Rails app directly from master, but instead create a new branch from master and push the new Rails app from this new branch.

Therefore, I'd like to:

1. Delete the commit from master in Github(remote), so master is EMPTY
2. create a new branch from master and add the previous commit that was in master into this new branch.
3. push it to Github.

Answer 1

Delete the commit from the master in Github(remote), so master is EMPTY

You can create an orphan branch - orphan branch is branch without any history

# Create "clean" branch
git checkout --orphan <name>

# remove all existing content if you wish
git clean -Xdf && git clean -xdf

create a new branch from master and add the previous commit that was in master into this new branch.

few options:

# Option 1 - Start your branch from the last desired commit
git checkout -b <name> <SHA-1> 

# Option 2 - Set your branch to the desired commit 
git reset <SHA-1> --hard

# Add the required commit on top of your branch
git cherry-pick <SHA-1>

push it to Github.

# force the update of the new branch
git push <origin> master -f

Answer 2

Please create a new branch from the master with the following command,

git checkout -b branch_name

After that checkout into your new branch and push it to Github.

Now go to the master branch and remove the last commit and push it to Github