Thin VDIs, paired with developer-first environments like Gitpod, offer a cost-effective and secure solution for enterprises with global contractor workforces. Traditional VDIs create significant pain points for development, including non-persistent environments, incompatible tooling, and security scanning consuming resources needed for development. The thin VDI + Gitpod approach eliminates this tradeoff, delivering both robust security and effective development capabilities in a single, cost-efficient solution. Thin VDIs are more cost-effective, easier to manage, and security-focused, while Gitpod provisions purpose-built development environments that run directly in the AWS account, reducing costs and ensuring developer productivity.