Discard changes in a file

I need to discard local edits in config/settings.py before I start the hotfix so I don’t accidentally commit broken config. Draft the exact sequence I should run, and a short note to Felipe explaining why I reset this file and that his local changes won’t be affected.

Before I discard these edits, make it safe and reversible for the team: show me how to stash the current edits with a clear message, how to preview the difference so I’m sure, and how to drop the stash later if we confirm it’s not needed. Explain what to tell the author of the edits so they don’t lose work unexpectedly.

I ran a discard on ui/components/menu.js and the author just said they had local work. I’m not sure whether I replaced their file permanently or left a recoverable record. Tell me how to check the reflog or stash for any recoverable versions, the fastest command to restore it if it exists, and what to say to the author while I investigate.

My team keeps discarding files to get builds green during emergencies, and we later find valuable tweaks were lost. Propose a team practice to avoid accidental loss: how to record intent before discarding, a minimal staging and stash policy during incidents, and one policy line to add to our incident runbook so nobody overwrites another’s in-flight work.