Choose a location for your workflow
Three workloads, three priorities
Your location changes the connection route; it doesn't turn Windows tools into macOS tools. Xcode and build processes run on the cloud Mac. Your computer is for accessing it, submitting jobs, and receiving results.
Frequent remote desktop use
If you regularly adjust settings, inspect interfaces, or click through Xcode, consider a location close to the person using it. Mouse, keyboard, and screen updates all travel over the network, so frequent interaction makes differences in responsiveness easier to notice.
For teams working across locations, start with the primary operator's location—not just the billing contact's.
Overnight automated builds
Submit jobs over SSH or a CI pipeline and let the cloud machine handle compilation. Batch builds running overnight are usually less sensitive to round-trip time than interactive desktop use. Focus instead on the configuration, dependency downloads, and where build artifacts need to go.
Run a build with your own project first, then decide whether a monthly or quarterly plan makes sense for keeping the environment ready.
Large projects and artifact transfers
A single desktop click won't tell you how long the initial project upload, dependency downloads, or archive downloads will take. File size, available bandwidth, and both ends of the connection all affect transfer times.
Test uploads and downloads with your own project. After each session, back up any source files and build artifacts you want to keep to a location you control.