[P1] platform: Add platform-wide frontend E2E coverage

[Cataldir]

Problem inventory

The repo does not yet have a platform-wide browser E2E gate that proves the mature UI and APIM-backed flows work together from the user perspective.

Type: tech debt / regression prevention

Evidence

• frontend/package.json has dev, build, start, lint, and format scripts, but no e2e/test script.
• No Playwright configuration was found in frontend.
• docs/modernization-plan.md still lists integration tests that exercise APIM routes for all apps domains as a remaining action.
• The user requirement is to guarantee everything is working well end-to-end, not only compile.

Impact assessment

User impact: critical/high. Without browser E2E coverage, old UI regressions, broken links, APIM route mismatches, and unavailable feature flows can pass local lint/build.
Blast radius: cross-service frontend, CI/CD, APIM route contracts, and backend readiness signals.

Acceptance criteria

• Add Playwright configuration and package scripts under frontend, using pnpm and Node 22.
• Cover public front door routes: /, /programs, /evidence-trust, /institutions, /sign-in if present.
• Cover role workspace shell routes for student, professor, supervisor/principal, admin, and alumni, including role/context switching where feasible.
• Cover core user flows with stable mocked network fixtures or test environment contracts: chat, essays submission/history, questions answering/admin, configuration, upskilling, evaluation, LMS gateway, avatar/settings.
• Validate all primary navigation links resolve without 404s or unexpected client errors.
• Include accessibility-oriented assertions for labels, focus, status messages, and keyboard operability on key flows; automated checks should align with WCAG 2.2 AA where feasible.
• Add CI wiring or a documented command path so the E2E suite can run consistently before merge.
• Existing backend tests and frontend lint/build remain green.

Agent assignment

Primary specialist: PlatformEngineer
Supporting specialist: TypeScriptDeveloper
UI/accessibility validation: UIDesigner

Dependency notes

Depends on route mapping from the ADR-007 feature issue for complete route inventory. Can begin by adding infrastructure and smoke tests for currently stable routes.

Related backlog

• [SEDUC][Epic] End-to-end functional coverage for Supervisor persona and dependent capabilities #161 is supervisor-specific E2E coverage; this issue is the platform-wide browser gate.
• [SEDUC][Validation] Pilot flow and supervisor feedback loop #165 pilot validation can consume the E2E results.

[Cataldir]

Delegation status

Primary specialist: PlatformEngineer
Supporting specialist: TypeScriptDeveloper
UI/accessibility validation: UIDesigner
Status: delegated; implementation not started.

Platform findings:

• No Playwright config/scripts exist today.
• Default PR E2E should use mocked APIM fixtures via NEXT_PUBLIC_APIM_BASE_URL; live APIM tests should be tagged/manual until contracts are stable.
• Browser smoke should cover public routes, role workspace routes, primary nav, redirects, and core APIM-backed flows.
• Accessibility checks should combine axe with explicit keyboard/focus/status/reflow assertions; automation alone is not a WCAG conformance claim.

Next PR slice:

1. Clean package-manager/tooling drift under [P2] frontend: Finish ADR-007 tooling modernization #224.
2. Add Playwright config, scripts, mocked APIM fixtures, and public/workspace smoke tests.
3. Add SWA frontend quality gate before deploy upload.

[Cataldir]

Delegation status

Primary specialist: PlatformEngineer
Supporting specialist: TypeScriptDeveloper
UI/accessibility validation: UIDesigner
Status: delegated; implementation not started.

Platform findings:

• No Playwright config/scripts exist today.
• Default PR E2E should use mocked APIM fixtures via NEXT_PUBLIC_APIM_BASE_URL; live APIM tests should be tagged/manual until contracts are stable.
• Browser smoke should cover public routes, role workspace routes, primary nav, redirects, and core APIM-backed flows.
• Accessibility checks should combine axe with explicit keyboard/focus/status/reflow assertions; automation alone is not a WCAG conformance claim.

Next PR slice:

1. Clean package-manager/tooling drift under [P2] frontend: Finish ADR-007 tooling modernization #224.
2. Add Playwright config, scripts, mocked APIM fixtures, and public/workspace smoke tests.
3. Add SWA frontend quality gate before deploy upload.