On RHEL/CentOS/Oracle Linux installer Software Selection screen, what do the packages/environments actually install?

When installing Oracle Linux, at one point you need to choose the software. What actual packages are actually installed when you select Server, Minimal Install, and the subpackages such as Standard or Headless Management?

You're going to need a working RHEL system to check what's actually inside these "environments". You can use docker run --rm -it oraclelinux:8 to run the commands below.

These map to "package groups" in dnf. You can list all available groups with dnf group list:

# dnf group list
Failed to set locale, defaulting to C.UTF-8
Last metadata expiration check: 1:09:51 ago on Wed May 25 09:37:23 2022.
Available Environment Groups:
   Server with GUI
   Server
   Workstation
   Custom Operating System
   Virtualization Host
Installed Environment Groups:
   Minimal Install
Available Groups:
   PostgreSQL Database Server 14 PGDG
   PostgreSQL Database Server 13 PGDG
   PostgreSQL Database Server 12 PGDG
   PostgreSQL Database Server 11 PGDG
   PostgreSQL Database Server 10 PGDG
   Legacy UNIX Compatibility
   Container Management
   Development Tools
   .NET Core Development
   Graphical Administration Tools
   Headless Management
   Network Servers
   RPM Development Tools
   Scientific Support
   Security Tools
   Smart Card Support
   System Tools

You will see the same names as in the installer GUI, plus some more. So you want to know what's inside the Minimal Install? Use dnf group info:

# dnf group info 'Minimal Install'
Failed to set locale, defaulting to C.UTF-8
Last metadata expiration check: 1:11:11 ago on Wed May 25 09:37:23 2022.
Environment Group: Minimal Install
 Description: Basic functionality.
 Mandatory Groups:
   Core
 Optional Groups:
   Guest Agents
   Standard

Alright, so what's installed if you select the standard group? dnf group info again:

# dnf group info 'Standard'
Failed to set locale, defaulting to C.UTF-8
Last metadata expiration check: 1:12:50 ago on Wed May 25 09:37:23 2022.

Group: Standard
 Description: The standard installation of Oracle Linux.
 Mandatory Packages:
   acl
   at
   attr
   bc
   cpio
   crontabs
   cyrus-sasl-plain
   dbus
   ed
   file
   iptstate
   irqbalance
   logrotate
   lsof
   mcelog
   microcode_ctl
   net-tools
   oraclelinux-release
   pciutils
   psacct
   quota
   redhat-release
   rsyslog-gnutls
   rsyslog-gssapi
   rsyslog-relp
   sudo
   symlinks
   systemd-udev
   tar
   tree
   util-linux-user
 Default Packages:
   bash-completion
   blktrace
   bpftool
   bzip2
   chrony
   cockpit
   cryptsetup
   dnf-plugin-spacewalk
   dos2unix
   dosfstools
   ethtool
   fprintd-pam
   gnupg2
   kmod-kvdo
   ledmon
   libstoragemgmt
   lvm2
   mailcap
   man-pages
   mdadm
   mlocate
   mtr
   nano
   nmap-ncat
   nvme-cli
   pinfo
   plymouth
   realmd
   rhn-client-tools
   rhn-setup
   rhnlib
   rhnsd
   rsync
   smartmontools
   sos
   sssd
   strace
   tcpdump
   teamd
   time
   unzip
   usbutils
   vdo
   vim-enhanced
   virt-what
   wget
   which
   words
   xfsdump
   zip
 Optional Packages:
   cifs-utils
   cockpit-doc
   fwupd
   fwupdate
   ima-evm-utils
   nfs-utils
   nvmetcli
   traceroute
   vdo-support
   zsh

And what would be installed if you don't check any boxes? The Core package:

# dnf group info 'Core'
Failed to set locale, defaulting to C.UTF-8
Last metadata expiration check: 1:13:43 ago on Wed May 25 09:37:23 2022.

Group: Core
 Description: Smallest possible installation
 Mandatory Packages:
   NetworkManager
   audit
   basesystem
   bash
   bcache-tools
   btrfs-progs
   coreutils
   cronie
   curl
   dnf
   dnf-plugin-spacewalk
   e2fsprogs
   filesystem
   firewalld
   glibc
   grubby
   hostname
   initscripts
   iproute
   iprutils
   iputils
   irqbalance
   kbd
   kernel-uek
   kexec-tools
   less
   libzstd
   man-db
   ncurses
   nvme-cli
   nvmetcli
   openssh-clients
   openssh-server
   oraclelinux-release-el8
   parted
   passwd
   plymouth
   policycoreutils
   procps-ng
   rhn-client-tools
   rhn-setup
   rhnlib
   rhnsd
   rootfiles
   rpm
   rsyslog
   selinux-policy-targeted
   setup
   shadow-utils
   sssd-common
   sssd-kcm
   sudo
   systemd
   tuned
   util-linux
   vim-minimal
   xfsprogs
   yum
 Default Packages:
   NetworkManager-team
   NetworkManager-tui
   authselect
   biosdevname
   dnf-plugins-core
   dracut-config-rescue
   iwl100-firmware
   iwl1000-firmware
   iwl105-firmware
   iwl135-firmware
   iwl2000-firmware
   iwl2030-firmware
   iwl3160-firmware
   iwl5000-firmware
   iwl5150-firmware
   iwl6000-firmware
   iwl6000g2a-firmware
   iwl6050-firmware
   iwl7260-firmware
   kernel-tools
   libsysfs
   linux-firmware
   lshw
   lsscsi
   microcode_ctl
   prefixdevname
   sg3_utils
   sg3_utils-libs
 Optional Packages:
   dracut-config-generic
   dracut-network
   initial-setup
   ocfs2-tools
   oracle-database-preinstall-21c
   rdma-core
   selinux-policy-mls
   tboot

Good news - you can expect openssh-server in the minimal install, which is what I wanted to check.