The Fedora Minimal TemplateVM (`fedora-minimal`) only weighs about 600 MB compressed (1.6 GB on disk) and has only the most vital packages installed, including a minimal X and xterm installation.
The sections below contain instructions for using the template and provide some examples for common use cases.
2. If something works with the default Fedora template but not the Fedora Minimal template, this is most likely due to user error (e.g., a missing package or misconfiguration) rather than a bug.
In such cases, you should write to [qubes-users] to ask for help rather than filing a bug report, then [contribute what you learn to the documentation][doc-guidelines].
The following list provides an overview of which packages are needed for which purpose.
As usual, the required packages are to be installed in the running template with the following command (replace `packages` with a space-delimited list of packages to be installed):
- Commonly used utilities: `pciutils``vim-minimal``less``psmisc``gnome-keyring`.
- Audio: `pulseaudio-qubes`.
- [FirewallVM](/doc/firewall/), such as the template for `sys-firewall`: at least `qubes-core-agent-networking` and `iproute`, and also `qubes-core-agent-dom0-updates` if you want to use it as the `UpdateVM` (which is normally `sys-firewall`).
- NetVM, such as the template for `sys-net`: `qubes-core-agent-networking``qubes-core-agent-network-manager``NetworkManager-wifi``network-manager-applet``wireless-tools``dejavu-sans-fonts``notification-daemon``gnome-keyring``polkit``@hardware-support`.
If your network devices need extra packages for the template to work as a network VM, use the `lspci` command to identify the devices, then run `dnf search firmware` (replace `firmware` with the appropriate device identifier) to find the needed packages and then install them.
If you need utilities for debugging and analyzing network connections, install `tcpdump``telnet``nmap``nmap-ncat`.
- [USB qube](/doc/usb-qubes/), such as the template for `sys-usb`: `qubes-input-proxy-sender`.
- [VPN qube](/doc/vpn/): Use the `dnf search "NetworkManager VPN plugin"` command to look up the VPN packages you need, based on the VPN technology you'll be using, and install them.
Some GNOME related packages may be needed as well.
After creation of a machine based on this template, follow the [VPN instructions](/doc/vpn/#set-up-a-proxyvm-as-a-vpn-gateway-using-networkmanager) to configure it.
You may also wish to consider additional packages from the `qubes-core-agent` suite:
-`qubes-core-agent-qrexec`: Qubes qrexec agent. Installed by default.
-`qubes-core-agent-systemd`: Qubes unit files for SystemD init style. Installed by default.
-`qubes-core-agent-passwordless-root`, `polkit`: By default, the Fedora Minimal template doesn't have passwordless root. These two packages enable this feature.
-`qubes-core-agent-nautilus`: This package provides integration with the Nautilus file manager (without it things like "copy to VM/open in disposable VM" will not be shown in Nautilus).
-`qubes-core-agent-sysvinit`: Qubes unit files for SysV init style or upstart.
-`qubes-core-agent-networking`: Networking support. Required for general network access and particularly if the template is to be used for a `sys-net` or `sys-firewall` VM.
-`qubes-core-agent-network-manager`: Integration for NetworkManager. Useful if the template is to be used for a `sys-net` VM.
-`network-manager-applet`: Useful (together with `dejavu-sans-fonts` and `notification-daemon`) to have a system tray icon if the template is to be used for a `sys-net` VM.
-`qubes-core-agent-dom0-updates`: Script required to handle `dom0` updates. Any template which the VM responsible for 'dom0' updates (e.g. `sys-firewall`) is based on must contain this package.
-`qubes-usb-proxy`: Required if the template is to be used for a USB qube (`sys-usb`) or for any destination qube to which USB devices are to be attached (e.g `sys-net` if using USB network adapter).
-`pulseaudio-qubes`: Needed to have audio on the template VM.
See [here][customization] for further information on customizing `fedora-minimal`.
Passwordless root
-----------------
It is an intentional design choice for passwordless to be optional.
Since the Fedora Minimal template is *minimal*, it is not configured for passwordless root by default.
To update or install packages to it, from a dom0 terminal window:
to open a root terminal in the template, from which you can use dnf without sudo. You will have to do this every time if you choose not to enable passwordless root.
