The article discusses how cloud development environments (CDEs) can streamline the onboarding process for development contractors while maintaining security. Gitpod's CDEs automate and pre-configure secure development environments, enabling contractors to start contributing code immediately. This approach eliminates manual setup processes and supports bring-your-own-device policies. Additionally, access management is simplified through short-lived ephemeral workspaces and fine-grained OIDC rules. The article also debunks the myth that virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI) is the only way to provide secure development environments for contractors, highlighting Gitpod's CDEs as a more efficient and cost-effective solution.