auth-for-browser-tests

name	auth-for-browser-tests
description	Establish authenticated session for browser-based E2E: register/login via API (curl with cookie jar), then load cookie/state into browser context if supported, or document manual login / test-only bypass and use API verification. Include fallback when cookie/state injection is not supported; revert mocks and document. Use when verifying protected pages in browser tests.

Auth for Browser Tests (Session / Cookie Injection)

When browser tests need to hit protected pages, establish auth in a consistent way instead of ad-hoc bypasses.

Steps

1. Create or reuse a test user via API: Register and/or login with curl, save cookies (e.g. cookie jar).
2. Check the browser tool's docs for loading cookies or session state into the browser context.
3. If supported: Load state, then open the protected URL and run the flow.
4. If not supported: Document that "browser tests require manual login or a test-only route" and use API verification for the protected endpoints; optionally add a test-only "login as test user" that sets a cookie.
5. When using mocks for verification because the backend is down: revert all mock/bypass changes and document in progress what was done.

Fallbacks

• Document clearly when cookie/state injection is not supported.
• Prefer API verification + documented limitation over leaving temporary auth bypass in code.

Why This Matters

Multiple frontend tasks could not verify protected pages because login in the browser failed (network, CORS, or cookie handling). A single documented flow reduces ad-hoc bypasses and clarifies fallbacks.