[treesknees]

What you described (running a Linux VM and forwarding ports) is exactly what Docker Desktop already does for you without having to maintain packages, configure ssh keys, deal with networking, etc.

The thing I don't like about your method is having all my code checked out on the VM. As soon as I want to start using anything other than VSCode to manage it, I'm now hopping through layers. I'm also restricted to the VM's filesystem/size limits, and individual changes to files are not backed up by Time Machine, only the entire VM disk image.

And only because you mentioned corporate how-to guides, Docker Desktop requires a paid license for commercial use. I think your method is a perfectly valid way to work around needing a license, but the license comes with commercial support and some other features some companies may find useful.