Test containers provide a middle ground.

For example we have pure unit tests. But also some tests that boot up Postgres. Test the db migration and gives you a db to play with for your specific “unit” test test case.

No need for a complete environment with Kafka etc. It provides a cost effective stepping stone to what you describe.

What would be nice if test containers could create a complete environment, on the test machine and delete it again.

Still a deploy with some smoke tests on a real env are nice.