<p><a href="https://git-scm.com/docs/git-sparse-checkout" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" translate="no"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="ellipsis">git-scm.com/docs/git-sparse-ch</span><span class="invisible">eckout</span></a> really springs "cone mode (the default)" on you and then refuses to elaborate on what's conic about it</p>