Wouldn't vim users put Esc where Caps Lock is instead?

I have caps lock mapped to ctrl when holding the key down and esc on tap.

I do the same with enter, as I like having 2 control keys! enter is control when held down and enter on tap.

I use vim and have Caps Lock mapped to Ctrl. I type C-[ to exit insert mode.

Indeed, that's what I do. Also, macOS accomodates for this, because Caps Lock can be set to Escape without additional software, simply within the standard System Preferences.

Every guide I’ve seen recommends replacing caps with control. It’s the first thing I’ve done for nearly a decade on every new OS install.

I swap CapsLock with LCtrl, and use 'jk' to leave insert mode. I don't map Esc to the CapsLock key so I can use LCtrl-based commands in non-Vim apps (like tmux, GUI apps, etc.).