I think the idea others are getting at is using docker as a means of setting up a testing environment in your dev env, not using it as a dev env. I tend to do t

I think the idea others are getting at is using docker as a means of setting up a testing environment in your dev env, not using it as a dev env. I tend to do this (though the way you describe would be great too!). I develop locally with intellij but run my integration tests in a docker container (or a few) by packaging up my app in a container. I just make that container look like whats running in prod. Thats the magic. dev looks like prod.