returnOriginal

returnOriginal is a term that can refer to several concepts depending on the context, most commonly in programming and data manipulation. In a general programming sense, it signifies an operation or function that restores a variable, object, or data structure to its state prior to a modification or series of modifications. This is often achieved by storing the original value or state in a separate location before any changes are made, and then providing a mechanism to retrieve and reapply that stored original value.

In the context of version control systems like Git, the concept of returning to an original state can be analogous to reverting commits. A revert operation creates a new commit that undoes the changes introduced by a previous commit, effectively returning the codebase to a prior point in its history. This is distinct from simply deleting a commit, as it preserves the history of the change while rectifying it.

In database operations, "returnOriginal" might refer to a function that retrieves the value of a record or field as it existed before an update. This is particularly useful for auditing, logging, or implementing transactional rollbacks where preserving the original state is crucial for maintaining data integrity or tracking changes. The specific implementation and terminology can vary significantly between different programming languages, libraries, and software systems.