and `--cone` needed to be specified or `core.sparseCheckoutCone` needed
to be enabled.
+
-When `--no-cone` is passed or `core.sparseCheckoutCone` is set to false,
-the input list is considered a list of patterns. This mode is harder
-to use and less performant, and is thus not recommended. See the
-"Sparse Checkout" section of linkgit:git-read-tree[1] and the "Pattern
-Set" sections below for more details.
+When `--no-cone` is passed, the input list is considered a list of
+patterns. This mode is harder to use and less performant, and is thus
+not recommended. See the "Sparse Checkout" section of
+linkgit:git-read-tree[1] and the "Pattern Set" sections below for more
+details.
+
Use the `--[no-]sparse-index` option to use a sparse index (the
default is to not use it). A sparse index reduces the size of the
root directory are included. If a recursive pattern is added, then all
leading directories are added as parent patterns.
-By default, when running `git sparse-checkout init`, the root directory is
-added as a parent pattern. At this point, the sparse-checkout file contains
-the following patterns:
+By default, when running `git sparse-checkout set` with no directories
+specified, the root directory is added as a parent pattern. At this
+point, the sparse-checkout file contains the following patterns:
----------------
/*