It comes with all the programs Core comes with, which I uninstalled. I consider minimal to be the bare minimum of programs you need, so pretty much just what makes the PC run and then a browser. Programs for opening .zip, graphic editing, etc. aren't minimal - if I need them, I can get them, but I don't want them there by default. I'm very particular with my own devices and had what I considered to be bloatware uninstalled on my Android and Windows (back before I switched) with Powershell if it wasn't available to uninstall otherwise.
I have the hidden files enabled now, of course.
So is .local and .config all I'll need for regular use? Is this essentially what Program Files is on Windows? I was entering the regular Computer directory and there were folders such as 'etc', 'dev', 'proc', 'lib' which are full of folders and got me lost, trying to find what I need.
Truth be told, I don't touch 'root', because it requires a password which logically tells me it gets extra protection so you don't frick up the system. From the stuff I watched before Linux I got the idea that 'boot' is for booting the system and 'root' is essentially the most important stuff, so I shouldn't touch. Now, I get very lost when I install the rare Windows stuff like Battle.net. It insists it's installed in C and it gets put in a safe(?) environment of sorts, but I cannot choose where to install it on Linux, because it insists it's on Windows. I have to launch Battlenet through its installation .exe, because I cannot find the file responsible for its launch which would work. I do it through Steam's Proton, ofc.