Add Playwright E2E testing framework with comprehensive test suite

[Copilot]

Implements end-to-end testing infrastructure using Playwright to complement existing unit/integration tests. Provides 31 tests covering authentication flows, protected routes, and dashboard navigation.

Implementation

Framework & Configuration

• Playwright v1.57.0 with TypeScript support
• Optimized playwright.config.ts for parallel execution and CI/CD
• Auto-wait, retry logic, screenshot/video capture on failure
• 6 npm scripts: test:e2e, test:e2e:ui, test:e2e:headed, test:e2e:debug, test:e2e:report, test:e2e:codegen

Test Suite (31 tests, 3 files)

• Authentication (9): login, logout, signup, validation, session persistence
• Dashboard (9): loading, navigation, content display, error handling
• Protected Routes (13): access control, redirects, authorization enforcement

Infrastructure

• 5 helper classes: AuthHelper, NavigationHelper, FormHelper, ApiMockHelper, WaitHelper
• Test fixtures with predefined users, routes, timeouts
• TypeScript-first with full type safety

CI/CD Integration

• GitHub Actions job added to react-frontend-ci.yml
• Headless Chromium execution with 30-day artifact retention
• Parallel execution disabled for CI stability

Documentation (5 guides)

• E2E_TESTING.md - Setup, debugging, troubleshooting
• EXAMPLES.md - Practical patterns and advanced scenarios
• QUICK_REFERENCE.md - One-page command cheat sheet
• E2E_FRAMEWORK_COMPARISON.md - Playwright vs Cypress vs Selenium analysis
• PLAYWRIGHT_SETUP_SUMMARY.md - Implementation summary

Usage Example

import { test, expect } from '@playwright/test';
import { AuthHelper } from './utils/helpers';

test('protected route access', async ({ page }) => {
  const auth = new AuthHelper(page);
  await auth.loginAsAdmin();
  
  await page.goto('/users');
  await expect(page).toHaveURL(/\/users/);
});

Framework Selection Rationale

Playwright chosen over Cypress/Selenium for:

• True cross-browser support (Chromium, Firefox, WebKit)
• Free parallel execution (Cypress requires paid plan)
• Native multi-tab/context support
• Superior mobile emulation and debugging tools
• Modern async/await API with auto-wait

Warning

Firewall rules blocked me from connecting to one or more addresses (expand for details)

I tried to connect to the following addresses, but was blocked by firewall rules:

• esm.ubuntu.com
  • Triggering command: /usr/lib/apt/methods/https /usr/lib/apt/methods/https (dns block)
• https://storage.googleapis.com/chrome-for-testing-public/143.0.7499.4/linux64/chrome-headless-shell-linux64.zip
  • Triggering command: /usr/local/bin/node /usr/local/bin/node /home/REDACTED/work/fastapi_rbac/fastapi_rbac/react-frontend/node_modules/playwright-core/lib/server/registry/oopDownloadBrowserMain.js (http block)
• https://storage.googleapis.com/chrome-for-testing-public/143.0.7499.4/linux64/chrome-linux64.zip
  • Triggering command: /usr/local/bin/node /usr/local/bin/node /home/REDACTED/work/fastapi_rbac/fastapi_rbac/react-frontend/node_modules/playwright-core/lib/server/registry/oopDownloadBrowserMain.js (http block)

If you need me to access, download, or install something from one of these locations, you can either:

• Configure Actions setup steps to set up my environment, which run before the firewall is enabled
• Add the appropriate URLs or hosts to the custom allowlist in this repository's Copilot coding agent settings (admins only)

Original prompt

---

This section details on the original issue you should resolve

<issue_title>Investigate and setup playwright for implementing the end to end testing in the react-frontend project</issue_title>
<issue_description>## Summary

Investigate the use of Playwright for implementing end-to-end (E2E) testing in the react-frontend project. Provide a plan for setup, configuration, and integration with the current development workflow.

Background

Currently, the react-frontend project does not have a dedicated E2E testing framework. Playwright is a modern, cross-browser automation library for testing web applications, supporting Chromium, Firefox, and WebKit. It offers powerful features such as:

• Headless and headed browser testing
• Cross-browser and mobile emulation
• Network and API mocking
• Parallel test execution
• Rich debugging and reporting tools

Tasks

• Research Playwright's capabilities and best practices for React projects
• Evaluate Playwright vs. alternatives (e.g., Cypress, Selenium) if needed
• Propose a setup plan for Playwright in the react-frontend directory
• Document installation steps and configuration (including VS Code integration if possible)
• Add example E2E test(s) for a core user flow (e.g., login, dashboard load)
• Integrate Playwright tests into CI/CD pipeline (if applicable)
• Document how to run and debug Playwright tests locally and in CI

Acceptance Criteria

• Playwright is installed and configured in react-frontend
• At least one working E2E test is present as an example
• Documentation is updated with setup, usage, and troubleshooting instructions
• Recommendations for best practices and next steps are provided

References

• Playwright Documentation
• Playwright for React
• Playwright VS Code Extension</issue_description>

Comments on the Issue (you are @copilot in this section)

• Fixes Investigate and setup playwright for implementing the end to end testing in the react-frontend project #17

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