Quick Tips to Minimize the install?

I am looking to do installations of opencart with little likelihood to engage international markets. There is a lot of UI clutter (in admin view) in the sense that while I may only ship to one country, there are hundreds in between me and the one I want to edit. If I remove localized content from the site directory tree (various .php files) prior to upload to a web server I think that might be the way to not have all of the locations and tax info in the admin. Or is removing via the GUI a better practice? In some systems the GUI triggers other actions required or suggested to fully cleanse the system of no longer available resources.

Similar idea applies to various financial gateways and shipping providers in different regions where it can be distracting (possibly risky) to have so many options available. Would save time and upload effort to remove a bunch of php files prior to loading a cart if that works. - thanks OCC.

Running OC 2.0.3.1

BTW. This is OC v.1.5.x here! I just hope, you are in no hurry !?
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You could remove all not used Languages, in all the sections, where whole bunches of languages are part of, in the INSTALL-, and Javascript- Subsections, usually, and do the same with all those Language PIC's, never used.
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Then, remove unused Content, related to COUNTRIES, ZONES, Languages, and currencies, from your INSTALL DB, like: possibly also some of this Section: JUST LEAVE your Country, Zone, and Language files, by USE of their DEFAULT ID-Numbers, i.E: plus: Technically at least. the only remaining problem would be, that the installation routine already contains some Sample- Data, on Products, Countries, Currencies, e.t.c., probably resulting in an install Conflict, if some values do not longer exist, required to finish a working Installation.

I would therefore start, by cleaning out an existing DB, on a server, by use of the MySql-Admin, from Products, Countries, Zones, and so on, then, download it's content, then, change an Install DB, to reflect/match the Content, really used, and so, it would 'shrink' a new DB by about 2'500 never ever used Content-Lines, just standing in the way of others, trying to do an efficient Job. But this would be some work to do, in any case!

Some Extensions exist already, to clean OUT all Demo Data from a running Shop!
But they do NOT Remove any DB-PRESETS, Countries, Zones, e.t.c., like mentioned above, from a DB.

When it comes to FONTAWESOME, (it's heavy on load, and data!) you could 'externalize' it in full, to be called, when used, from another Site. This would also save some Space, and Workload, and later, if everything works, you may work a little on your Header.tpl Linking, and in other Sections, partly by Use of VqMods, to cookie-free externally http-link you Scripts, Stylesheets, and Images. This would then power up the overall Performance to the Peak.

When it comes to unused Payment / Shipping Extensions, most could be removed, from the Theme-, Controller-, Model-, and Language- Subsections, with the Exeption of possibly Amazon and Authorize.net related Stuff. Also, that OpenBay/Ebay Stuff should better not be touched, for some reasons, still unfamiliar to me.

But all this should NEVER be tried by a Coder/DB-NEWBIE, for those, it's much easier to install an OC in the regular way, and later CLEAN OUT a DB, from unused Products, Countries, Zones, e.t.c., by removing those, selectivly, from a Running Shop.

Just, at first, always create a full OC-BACKUP, including the DB, otherways, one possibly has to start from scratch again, if something breaks...
And better DO NOT ADD any Mod's, or Themes, anything, before a Cleanout has been done successfully.
And later, check every single Extension, and/or Theme, if it does include anything, just beeing carried as Ballast again, before blindly upload such Extensions to the Server.

To give you some ideas on this...
But it all would make little sense, if you later upload 1+MB Images, they will kill any attempt, to have an efficient Shop.

Ernie

Awesome response, it sounds like nearly as much work but more file-play risk "unless" someone is doing that on an ongoing basis (once you really know by habit where everything is) but that is a great summary! I'm no noob, maybe a semi-noob in some respects but I can handle what you described above. Thank you so much for the details, I'll definitely review that process.

Well, I just don't like to repeat myself, so, my intention is (usually), to 'please' a 'codewise wide gapped' Crowd, in one single step. It may take a little longer, but it only takes once, and if someone cannot follow this, I usually give up afterwards, it then mostly makes not much sence, trying to tell a pinguin, how to fly, just, because it's a bird too

But since I invested some time on this already, why not let others know, possibly able to handle it ?!
It's not for Newbies anyway, they still have enough other OC-things to learn, to get along with that baby !
Good Luck !
Ernie