There are several android distros that provide support for a de-googled installation. Calling it "impossible" seems like a bit of a stretch, though there are definitely limitations, even with microg installed.
I do think that the VSCode model is much more similar to the Android model (though Android is a more extreme version of the model) than either is to the "Embrace, Extend, Extinguish" model.
Look at Android and how it is almost impossible to de-Google it for a live demonstration.
(I don't think there is a market for developer tools, though.)