I'm an old school emacs guy, I prefer that for c++/python/etc and run KDE Neon because I like KDE and I'm used to ubuntu (and Kubuntu has some issues). For c++ I use CMake, google test. Not really a fan of docker etc. but I have used Kubernetes and docker in the past. Those types of containers just create new and more complicated problems than just testing on the target platform, but in some niche cases it can be useful.
I can't stress enough how awesome emacs is, but it takes a serious investment to get efficient with it.
emacs with magit and meow are just amazing efficiency add-ons to my workflow. when your tools just get out of your way and keep you in the flow, it's much easier to stay productive.
How long did it take you to get comfortable with emacs? I have it installed on my work laptop, but it was daunting to use when everything was new to me.
I can't use containers with my target platform since I only have 64Mb of qspi flash and 512Mb of Ram. So it's baremetal for me, but i'm used to that.