DEV Community: Jegadeep Pandiarajan

Advanced Git and GitHub Commands

Jegadeep Pandiarajan — Mon, 28 Apr 2025 16:01:51 +0000

Version control is at the heart of modern software development, and Git is the undisputed leader. While most developers are comfortable with basic Git commands like clone, add, commit, and push, mastering advanced Git and GitHub commands can dramatically improve your workflow.

In this guide, we’ll dive into some essential advanced Git and GitHub commands that every developer should know.

1. Clone a Specific Branch

Instead of cloning the entire repository:

git clone --branch branch_name --single-branch https://github.com/user/repo.git

Only the specified branch is downloaded, saving time and space.

2. Stash Changes

Save your local modifications without committing them:

git stash

3. Amend Last Commit

Made a small mistake in your last commit? Just amend it:

git commit --amend

This lets you modify the last commit message or add forgotten changes.

4. Squash Commits (Interactive Rebase)

To combine multiple commits into one (clean up your commit history):

git rebase -i HEAD~n

Replace n with the number of commits you want to review.

Choose squash (or s) for commits you want to merge.

5. Force Push Changes

If you have rebased or amended commits:

git push --force

** Caution:** Force pushing can overwrite history, so use it carefully, especially on shared branches!

6. Create and Track a New Branch

Create a branch and immediately switch to it:

git checkout -b new-branch-name

Push and set upstream:

git push -u origin new-branch-name

7. Fetch and Prune Deleted Remote Branches

Keep your local references clean:

git fetch -p

Removes references to remote branches that no longer exist.

8. View Detailed Commit History

For a cleaner log with graph-like visualization:

git log --oneline --graph --all --decorate

Great for visualizing branch merges and commit history.

9. Cherry-pick Specific Commits

Apply a single commit from another branch:

git cherry-pick commit_hash

Useful when you need only one feature or fix without merging the entire branch.

10. Revert a Commit (Without Losing History)

If you need to undo a commit without deleting history:

git revert commit_hash

It creates a new commit that undoes the changes.

Mastering these advanced Git commands can take your productivity to the next level and help maintain a cleaner, more professional project history. Whether you're working on solo projects or collaborating in teams, becoming a Git power user is a career-defining skill.

DockerFile Image Creation and Pushing to DockerHub

Jegadeep Pandiarajan — Mon, 28 Apr 2025 15:38:35 +0000

Whether you're a developer automating deployments or a student getting started with DevOps, learning how to create Docker images and push them to DockerHub is essential.

In this post, we’ll walk through:

Writing a simple Dockerfile
Building a Docker image
Tagging the image
Pushing it to DockerHub

Let’s get started!

What is a Dockerfile?

A Dockerfile is a plain text file that contains instructions on how to build a Docker image. Think of it as a recipe — it tells Docker how to build an environment tailored for your application.

Dockerfile

FROM python:3.14.0a7-alpine3.21

# Install required system dependencies
RUN apk add --no-cache build-base musl-dev linux-headers

# Install Python libraries
RUN pip install --upgrade pip && \
    pip install pandas scikit-learn matplotlib

# Copy and run your script
COPY . .
CMD [ "python", "hello_world_ml.py" ]

1. Build the Docker Image

docker build -t DockerUserName/dockerfilename:latest .

2. Run the Docker Image

docker run --rm DockerUserName/dockerfilename:latest

3. List Docker Images

docker image ls

4. Push the Image to DockerHub

docker push DockerUserName/dockerfilename:latest

GITHUB COMMANDS!

Jegadeep Pandiarajan — Fri, 25 Apr 2025 15:45:35 +0000

Step-by-Step Git Commands Execution:
Initialize a Git repository:

git init
Creates a new Git repository in the folder 24MCR045.

Add a file to staging area:
git add 24MCR0045.txt
Adds 24MCR0045.txt to the staging area.

Commit the file:
git commit -m "Added Personal Details"
Creates a commit with the message "Added Personal Details".

Check Git status:
git status
Shows that 24MCR0045.txt has been modified but not staged.

View commit log:
git log
Displays the commit history (one commit at this point).

Add remote GitHub repository:
git remote add origin https://github.com/jegadeeppandiarajan/24mcr045.git
Links the local repository to a remote GitHub repo.

Check current branch:
git branch
Shows the current branch is master.

Rename branch from master to main:
git branch -M main
Renames the current branch to main.

Set Git global config for email and username:
git config --global user.email "jegadeeppandiarajan2003@gmail.com"
git config --global user.name "jegadeeppandiarajan"
Sets your global Git identity.

Push code to remote repo for the first time:
git push -u origin main
Pushes the main branch to GitHub and sets upstream tracking.

Then , Again We will Modify or add new file means we need to follow the same steps, like

    git add .
    git commit -m “message”
    git push origin main