Using a browser based IDE is really powerful as an option, but comes with a major cost of having to co-exist with the browser in terms of keyboard macros/chords.

Personally, I've found it to be really annoying.

Using VSCode as a desktop connected to a remote code server, or using JetBrains Projector, is the true sweet spot where you combine the remote capabilities with a native app. Also fits well with vim/emacs TUI-style dev.

If I were building an IDE today, I would absolutely be building it as a client-server app from day 1.

For PWAs, you can "install" the app to your machine / phone which gives it its own icon and launches it in its own window. This also allows it to override most default shortcuts (Cmd/Ctrl+W, Cmd/Ctrl+T etc.) I use this with https://github.com/coder/code-server on my personal server and it's a way better experience for me than mucking around with SSH / SFTP plugins.