Tried use GIMP a few times, but the standards feels way too different from Photoshop.
Like basically everything.
I’m not a designer, but I use such tools once in a while to make some images, and GIMP is nearly impossible to use for me.
Currently I’m sticking with Photopea on browser.
Those instructions are likely all that Photoshop is doing behind the scenes, more or less. Having to do it manually gives you control over all aspects. Want to feather the selection, to make a glow effect? You can do that. Want to make the outline a rainbow gradient? You can do that too. Want to make the outline a cutout of another picture? Turn the selection into a mask and apply it to a layer with the picture you want. Make the outline blobby? Fill, blur, adjust levels.
GIMP does not have the same focus on usability that PS does. It’s intended to be sufficient for your needs, without extra cruft and piles of macros that you can do yourself. This doesn’t necessarily make it better, mind you - but after taking the time to learn GIMP, I haven’t really missed Photoshop. (Especially after Adobe moved to their *^@# subscription model.)