On 3/27/2021 9:47 PM, Junio C Hamano wrote: > SZEDER Gábor <szeder.dev@xxxxxxxxx> writes: > >>> +To start, we use a new repository extension, `extensions.sparseIndex`, to >>> +allow inserting sparse-directory entries into indexes with file format >>> +versions 2, 3, and 4. This prevents Git versions that do not understand >>> +the sparse-index from operating on one, but it also prevents other >>> +operations that do not use the index at all. >> >> Why is this not a non-optional index extension? ... >> This really should be a non-optional index extension. > > Yeah, the index extension mechanism was designed with optional and > required kinds because we wanted to support exactly a use case like > this one. > > Thanks for pointing it out. Ok, so let me be sure I understand the request, as I believe it is a very good one: Using a REQUIRED index extension that says "this index has sparse-directory entries" will allow tools that don't touch the index to be compatible with repos using the sparse-index, while also avoiding a new index version. I'll work on this right away. Thanks! -Stolee