I use Spacemacs but it isn't always perfect and if Spacemacs doesn't wind up working I end up just using vanilla emacs because MELPA is a dice roll whether it will work or not every single time for me, usually regardless of OS. I just know enough basics of emacs to edit code, but I wish adding packages didn't involve so many hoops such as having to add a repository that everyone already goes out of their way to add to emacs and having said repository fail on you.
I'm not sure what reason the emacs team has for just not adding MELPA but it would change the game for me if it were an official addition and would require it's addition to work out of the box. Till then, emacs is a long way away from being my default editor, and VS Code and JetBrains are more of my defaults.
Out of the box functionality is key for any editor in my opinion.
I put melpa in my init file and never thought about it again. You don't need to keep adding it every time.
For me, my emacs config is my text editor, and it works out of the box on any system I install it to. Emacs is often very easy to install, but if I'm going to spend significant time on a machine I'll build it myself, and then my config is a simple git clone away and that's it. I'm working in an exact copy of my own personal text editor that I've built up over many years.
My instances of emacs also stay running for weeks at a time. I'll edit the config while it's running. If it's useful I'll commit it and pull it to other instances and run the modifications on them while they're running. It's a completely different way to work than most people are used to and it's liberating.
I'm not sure what reason the emacs team has for just not adding MELPA but it would change the game for me if it were an official addition and would require it's addition to work out of the box. Till then, emacs is a long way away from being my default editor, and VS Code and JetBrains are more of my defaults.
Out of the box functionality is key for any editor in my opinion.