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Outbyte PC Repair FREEClear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Outbyte Driver Updater FREEScan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Choose the base environment that best matches the computer you want, then select only the offered add-ons you need. Fedora Everything lets you select software during installation, but the manual installer presents environment and add-on groups—not a checkbox for every individual RPM. For exact package-by-package control, use a Kickstart file.
What the Software Selection screen lets you choose
The Fedora installation guide describes Software Selection as a choice between base environments and add-ons: choose one environment, then select one or more add-ons as needed. The available choices depend on the installation source, so a list shown for one Fedora image is not proof of what another source will offer. The detailed guide is a Fedora 28 preview; do not assume that every current release has the same screen or controls. The current Anaconda installation-flow documentation describes software selection at a higher level and does not confirm the older screen’s exact layout.
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These selections represent package groups defined in the source’s comps.xml metadata. If you need to know precisely which packages a group installs, check the metadata for the Fedora release and source you will use; Fedora’s comps.xml documentation explains the group metadata. The manual selection screen is for choosing environments and groups, not browsing every package individually. The Fedora guide documents the %packages section of a Kickstart file for exact package selection.
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Choose a desktop that fits how you work
Fedora Workstation is based on GNOME. Fedora also publishes desktop and window-manager alternatives through its Spins catalog, including Xfce, Cinnamon, MATE+Compiz, i3, LXQt, LXDE, Sway, Budgie, Miracle, and COSMIC. These are Fedora desktop options; their presence in the catalog does not establish that each one appears as a selectable group in every Everything installation source. Check the choices actually offered by your source and release.
Compare options by the interface and workflow you prefer, how much customization you want, and whether you want a preconfigured desktop or a more minimal starting point. The available information does not establish a reliable performance or memory-use ranking among these desktops, so do not choose one on an assumed resource advantage.
Make the choice in this order
- Confirm the Fedora release and installation source. Group availability is source-specific, and the menu can vary.
- Decide on a desktop or a minimal/custom system. For a ready-to-use desktop, consider Workstation with GNOME or a Fedora Spin that suits your preferred workflow.
- In Software Selection, choose the matching base environment. Add only the groups relevant to your intended use, choosing from the options actually shown.
- Use Kickstart if you need individual-package control. Specify the packages in its
%packagessection rather than expecting the manual screen to expose every RPM. - Check group membership if it matters. Consult the selected source and release’s
comps.xmlmetadata. - Confirm connectivity before installing. Fedora’s Everything network-installer listing says software selection happens during installation and requires a working internet connection or a local mirror.
What to do if you see “Fedora Custom Operating System”
That wording appears in a community question, not in the official Fedora guidance cited here. Do not treat the phrase alone as a recommendation to select that option and nothing else. Read the description and available add-ons in the installer for your release and source, then choose the base environment that matches the system you intend to install. If you need to know exactly what a group contains, check that source’s comps.xml; if you need arbitrary package-level choices, use Kickstart.
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