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    AlmaLinux 9: what minimal versus DVD installs actually differ in

    Test scope

    Section titled “Test scope”

    On a real AlmaLinux 9.8 host (kernel 5.14.0-687.54.1.el9_8): dnf group list --hidden, dnf group info "Minimal Install", dnf group info "Server", dnf list installed | wc -l. Log: plans/content-expansion/evidence/logs/alma-minimal-vs-dvd.log.

    This host is an already-installed system, not a fresh minimal ISO install, so the page documents environment group definitions (from repository comps data, testable) plus how to measure the difference yourself; installation-media differences are referenced from the official guides (Rocky installation guide, AlmaLinux installation guide).

    The difference is environment groups, not ISO size

    Section titled “The difference is environment groups, not ISO size”
    Terminal window
    dnf group list --hidden | head -8
    Available Environment Groups:
       Server with GUI
       Server
       Minimal Install
       Workstation
       KDE Plasma Workspaces
       Virtualization Host
       Custom Operating System

    The “Minimal Install / Server / Server with GUI” choices in the installer are these environment groups; DVD versus minimal ISO only decides how much can be installed offline, while the resulting system depends on the group you pick.

    What Minimal Install actually contains

    Section titled “What Minimal Install actually contains”
    Terminal window
    dnf group info "Minimal Install"
    Environment Group: Minimal Install
     Description: Basic functionality.
     Mandatory Groups:
       Core
     Optional Groups:
       Standard

    The only mandatory group is Core: base system, package management and essential userland tools. Standard is the optional common-tools set (skip it and you do not get it).

    What Server adds

    Section titled “What Server adds”
    Terminal window
    dnf group info "Server"
    Environment Group: Server
     Description: An integrated, easy-to-manage server.
     Mandatory Groups:
       Container Management
       Core
       Headless Management
       Server product core
       Standard
       hardware-support
     Optional Groups:
       Basic Web Server
       DNS Name Server

    Compared with Minimal it adds container management (podman and friends), headless management (cockpit-related), hardware-support (firmware/driver tools) and Standard. That is why a minimal install “has no podman and no cockpit”.

    The package count here is only a reference

    Section titled “The package count here is only a reference”
    Terminal window
    dnf list installed | wc -l
    550

    550 packages means this machine is not a minimal install (closer to Server, or has had extras added since). To compare properly, install two clean hosts with Minimal and DVD/Server respectively, then count and record the group selection.

    Adding what you missed

    Section titled “Adding what you missed”
    Terminal window
    sudo dnf group install "Server"           # add the whole environment group
    sudo dnf group install "Container Management"   # add a single group
    dnf group list --installed                # see what is already installed

    Groups can be added later, but adding never removes anything, so “start minimal, add groups as needed” is the more controlled path.

    Common traps

    Section titled “Common traps”
    • Confusing media with system: DVD only carries more packages; the system is defined by the group you choose;
    • Ignoring optional groups: Minimal’s Standard is optional — no selection, no tools;
    • Using someone else’s package count as a baseline: versions and past additions make counts incomparable.

    Practice: measure the difference yourself

    Section titled “Practice: measure the difference yourself”
    Terminal window
    dnf group list --installed
    dnf group info "Minimal Install" | head -8
    rpm -qa | wc -l

    Checks:

    1. You can list the installed environment groups
    2. You can name the mandatory group of Minimal Install
    3. You record the package count and state whether the host is minimal

    FAQ

    Section titled “FAQ”

    常见问题

    Why is firewalld/chrony missing after a minimal install?

    Minimal Install only mandates Core; firewalld and chrony belong to the Server group or are installed separately. Install them directly or add the group.

    Is a DVD install always larger?

    It depends on the group you pick. The DVD only allows installing more groups offline; choosing Minimal Install there yields a system close to the minimal ISO.

    Can I turn the system into the Server group later?

    `dnf group install "Server"` works, but it only adds packages and never cleans up; production usually installs the specific packages needed instead of whole groups.

    Next steps

    Section titled “Next steps”