vscode can only use one service as "the workspace" where the IDE runs. Just like when working locally you are on the IDE and the other services run in other containers.

None of your current services seem "good" for being the IDE workspace, so you would have to add that one. That would be "just like" your host machine, but in the container.

You can use multiple compose files so you can avoid changing your current docker-compose.yml while being able to add your new service.

So, part I:

1. Create a second docker-compose.yml file (maybe: docker-compose.workspace.yml)
2. Add one single service to that file, maybe call it "workspace". vscode Remote part will run there. What image? You may use one vscode's precooked ones.
3. On .devcontainer.json point to both files and define the workspace service:

...
  "dockerComposeFile": [
    "docker-compose.yaml",
    "docker-compose.workspace.yaml"
  ],
  "service": "workspace",
...

Ok. So that gives you the workspace container and everything else on the side. That gets us to the other part of the question:

Is it possible to interact with Docker engine on the host from inside the container? So I can simply have a dev.sh script that can simply up the rabbitmq and influxdb dependencies and then launch whatever microservice I want to run?

First, if you want the docker & docker-compose commands you have to install the packages. Some images have them builtin, others not. You may use your own image, etc.

But that is not enough. You workspace container is ignorant of the host's docker. But it is easy enough to fix. Just add a volume mount:

/var/run/docker.sock:/var/run/docker.sock

On the workspace service. That way vscode will "see" your host's docker and operate with it.

Beware that it is still the host's docker, so you may get into trouble with paths, etc depending on what you do.

Full working example (combined from answers mentioned in question and other SO):

• Linux as host
• Go as example language
• zsh, oh-my-zsh, .zsh_history from host Linux

.devcontainer/devcontainer.json:

// For format details, see https://aka.ms/devcontainer.json. For config options, see the README at:
// https://github.com/microsoft/vscode-dev-containers/tree/v0.217.4/containers/go
{
    "name": "Go",
    "service": "workspace",
    "workspaceFolder": "/home/vscode/woskpaces/go-example/",
    "dockerComposeFile": [
        "docker-compose.yml",
        "docker-compose.workspace.yml"
    ],
    // Set *default* container specific settings.json values on container create.
    "settings": {
        "go.toolsManagement.checkForUpdates": "local",
        "go.useLanguageServer": true,
        "go.gopath": "/go",
        "go.goroot": "/usr/local/go"
    },
    // Add the IDs of extensions you want installed when the container is created.
    "extensions": [
        "golang.go"
    ],
    // Use 'forwardPorts' to make a list of ports inside the container available locally.
    // "forwardPorts": [],
    // Use 'postCreateCommand' to run commands after the container is created.
    // "postCreateCommand": "go version",
    // Comment out connect as root instead. More info: https://aka.ms/vscode-remote/containers/non-root.
    "remoteUser": "vscode"
}

.devcontainer/docker-compose.workspace.yml:

version: '3'
networks:
  myNetwork:
    name: myNetwork
services:
  workspace:
    build:
      context: ./
      dockerfile: Dockerfile
    volumes:
      - /var/run/docker.sock:/var/run/docker.sock
      - ..:/home/vscode/woskpaces/go-example/
      - ~/.zshrc:/home/vscode/.zshrc
      - ~/.oh-my-zsh/:/home/vscode/.oh-my-zsh/
      - ~/.zsh_history:/home/vscode/.zsh_history
    depends_on:
      - kafka
    tty: true           # <- keeps container running
    networks:
      - myNetwork

.devcontainer/docker-compose.yml:

version: '3'
networks:
  myNetwork:
    name: myNetwork
services:
  zookeeper:
    image: confluentinc/cp-zookeeper:latest
    environment:
      ZOOKEEPER_CLIENT_PORT: 2181
      ZOOKEEPER_TICK_TIME: 2000
    ports:
      - 22181:2181
    networks:
      - myNetwork
    tmpfs: "/datalog"
  
  kafka:
    image: confluentinc/cp-kafka:latest
    depends_on:
      - zookeeper
    ports:
      - 29092:29092
    environment:
      KAFKA_BROKER_ID: 1
      KAFKA_ZOOKEEPER_CONNECT: zookeeper:2181
      KAFKA_ADVERTISED_LISTENERS: PLAINTEXT://kafka:9092,PLAINTEXT_HOST://localhost:29092
      KAFKA_LISTENER_SECURITY_PROTOCOL_MAP: PLAINTEXT:PLAINTEXT,PLAINTEXT_HOST:PLAINTEXT
      KAFKA_INTER_BROKER_LISTENER_NAME: PLAINTEXT
      KAFKA_OFFSETS_TOPIC_REPLICATION_FACTOR: 1
    networks:
      - myNetwork
    depends_on:
      - zookeeper

.devcontainer/Dockerfile:

# See here for image contents: https://github.com/microsoft/vscode-dev-containers/tree/v0.209.6/containers/go/.devcontainer/base.Dockerfile

# [Choice] Go version (use -bullseye variants on local arm64/Apple Silicon): 1, 1.16, 1.17, 1-bullseye, 1.16-bullseye, 1.17-bullseye, 1-buster, 1.16-buster, 1.17-buster
ARG VARIANT="1.17-bullseye"
FROM mcr.microsoft.com/vscode/devcontainers/go:0-${VARIANT}

# [Choice] Node.js version: none, lts/*, 16, 14, 12, 10
ARG NODE_VERSION="none"
RUN if [ "${NODE_VERSION}" != "none" ]; then su vscode -c "umask 0002 && . /usr/local/share/nvm/nvm.sh && nvm install ${NODE_VERSION} 2>&1"; fi

# [Optional] Uncomment this section to install additional OS packages.
# RUN apt-get update && export DEBIAN_FRONTEND=noninteractive \
#     && apt-get -y install --no-install-recommends <your-package-list-here>

# [Optional] Uncomment the next lines to use go get to install anything else you need
# USER vscode
# RUN go get -x <your-dependency-or-tool>

# [Optional] Uncomment this line to install global node packages.
# RUN su vscode -c "source /usr/local/share/nvm/nvm.sh && npm install -g <your-package-here>" 2>&1