On Thu, Feb 17, 2022 at 5:34 PM Junio C Hamano [off-list ref] wrote:

* en/sparse-checkout-fixes (2022-02-17) 5 commits
 - sparse-checkout: reject arguments in cone-mode that look like patterns
 - sparse-checkout: error or warn when given individual files
 - sparse-checkout: pay attention to prefix for {set, add}
 - sparse-checkout: correctly set non-cone mode when expected
 - sparse-checkout: correct reapply's handling of options

 Further polishing of "git sparse-checkout".

 Will merge to 'next'?
 source: [ref]

Please hold off; I'll send in a re-roll with some improvements
suggested by Ævar and you.