sparse-checkout --no-cone deprecation {TGO}

sparse-checkout --no-cone deprecation {TGO}

[ALEPINS Etienne]

Classification: OPEN {TGO}
Hi,

Git 2.37.0 sparse-checkout documentation says the non-cone mode will be deprecated. I think this is a bad idea: I don't see other means than the non-cone mode to only keep some of the files inside a directory. The cone mode allows to select/hide whole directories without giving control to select/hide specific files inside selected directories. I understand --no-cone mode may disable other features (e.g. sparse index), but that is ok with me.
I have people in my team coming from SVN which offered the option to include only some files of a repo. Git submodule + sparse-checkout --no-cone is a near equivalent that should be kept available. My goal is that on disk, the submodule contains only some of its files.

Thanks,
Etienne

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Re: sparse-checkout --no-cone deprecation {TGO}

[Elijah Newren]

On Mon, Jul 4, 2022 at 10:04 AM ALEPINS Etienne
<Etienne.ALEPINS@thalesgroup.com> wrote:
>
> Classification: OPEN {TGO}
> Hi,
>
> Git 2.37.0 sparse-checkout documentation says the non-cone mode will be deprecated.

Could you point out where?  This is an error; it is deprecated, it
should not state that it "will be" deprecated.

> I think this is a bad idea: I don't see other means than the non-cone mode to only keep some of the files inside a directory. The cone mode allows to select/hide whole directories without giving control to select/hide specific files inside selected directories. I understand --no-cone mode may disable other features (e.g. sparse index), but that is ok with me.
> I have people in my team coming from SVN which offered the option to include only some files of a repo. Git submodule + sparse-checkout --no-cone is a near equivalent that should be kept available. My goal is that on disk, the submodule contains only some of its files.

From wikipedia:
"""
In several fields, especially computing, deprecation is the
discouragement of use of some terminology, feature, design, or
practice, typically because it has been superseded or is no longer
considered efficient or safe, without completely removing it or
prohibiting its use. Typically, deprecated materials are not
completely removed to ensure legacy compatibility or back up practice
in case new methods are not functional in an odd scenario.

It can also imply that a feature, design, or practice will be removed
or discontinued entirely in the future.[1]
"""

You seem to be assuming removal is planned and arguing against that,
but there is no such plan; the deprecation is effectively just
discouragement of use.  If you've read the "INTERNALS -- NON-CONE
PROBLEMS" section of the git-sparse-checkout manual, and have decided
you're willing to accept those issues, then by all means keep using
it.  Don't expect new features targetting it, but Stolee, Victoria,
and I (perhaps the three folks doing the most with sparse checkout
contributions to Git) have all individually stated an opinion on this
list that --no-cone mode should continue to exist and that we plan to
make sure it keeps working.

If you find someone somewhere claiming that non-cone mode is planned
to be removed, feel free to point them at this email.  I was the one
who created the patches to change the default to cone mode and put the
deprecation notice in the manual.