diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 0ec69ba..c9af2a8 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ RELEASE_FLAGS := -trimpath -ldflags="-s -w"
 EDITOR_BUNDLE := assets/editor/vendor/codemirror.bundle.js
 EDITOR_SRCS := $(wildcard editor-build/*.js) editor-build/package.json editor-build/package-lock.json
 
-.PHONY: deploy companion companion-windows companion-linux companion-release editor
+.PHONY: deploy companion companion-windows companion-linux companion-release editor e2e
 
 # Cross-compiled companion artifacts the wiki binary embeds. Both must exist
 # before `go build .` so embed.FS picks them up.
@@ -46,3 +46,8 @@ deploy: companion-release
 	scp datascape-arm $(NAS):/share/homes/luxick/.local/bin/datascape
 	ssh $(NAS) /share/homes/luxick/.local/bin/datascape-start.sh
 	rm datascape-arm
+
+# Browser end-to-end tests (Playwright driving the system Chrome). Builds the
+# wiki binary and runs it against a throwaway wiki in e2e/.tmp.
+e2e:
+	cd e2e && npm install --no-audit --no-fund && npx playwright test
diff --git a/e2e/.gitignore b/e2e/.gitignore
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..3e3209e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/e2e/.gitignore
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+node_modules/
+.tmp/
+test-results/
+playwright-report/
diff --git a/e2e/package-lock.json b/e2e/package-lock.json
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..739a89c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/e2e/package-lock.json
@@ -0,0 +1,58 @@
+{
+  "name": "datascape-e2e",
+  "lockfileVersion": 3,
+  "requires": true,
+  "packages": {
+    "": {
+      "name": "datascape-e2e",
+      "devDependencies": {
+        "@playwright/test": "^1"
+      }
+    },
+    "node_modules/@playwright/test": {
+      "version": "1.63.0",
+      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/@playwright/test/-/test-1.63.0.tgz",
+      "integrity": "sha512-oxMK4vllB9RK5NQ2l1pq1IfOf2AvnEuj/vYGDj0H2nMtmtZpKtCwt/l00GEO6xjGfpBNAvjovvYdCm50dRQkpQ==",
+      "dev": true,
+      "license": "Apache-2.0",
+      "dependencies": {
+        "playwright": "1.63.0"
+      },
+      "bin": {
+        "playwright": "cli.js"
+      },
+      "engines": {
+        "node": ">=20"
+      }
+    },
+    "node_modules/playwright": {
+      "version": "1.63.0",
+      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/playwright/-/playwright-1.63.0.tgz",
+      "integrity": "sha512-+7ziBLidS4NaNCdt57SUDT+wYmmd5fmiQejUic/kb+YsYSCPyOOE9sebzMjNmQrsnNpDJqd4WHvV/8lfKfUDUg==",
+      "dev": true,
+      "license": "Apache-2.0",
+      "dependencies": {
+        "playwright-core": "1.63.0"
+      },
+      "bin": {
+        "playwright": "cli.js"
+      },
+      "engines": {
+        "node": ">=20"
+      }
+    },
+    "node_modules/playwright-core": {
+      "version": "1.63.0",
+      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/playwright-core/-/playwright-core-1.63.0.tgz",
+      "integrity": "sha512-rYCsBF/M5HjUch52bbtVONEFjv6Xu8sm8h72dNlR5bzIE1fvC/bxgspzkjSfU+MweEMmPM8KJebG6nnyxo5mCg==",
+      "dev": true,
+      "license": "Apache-2.0",
+      "bin": {
+        "playwright-core": "cli.js"
+      },
+      "engines": {
+        "node": ">=20"
+      }
+    }
+  }
+}
diff --git a/e2e/package.json b/e2e/package.json
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e8cc91d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/e2e/package.json
@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+{
+  "name": "datascape-e2e",
+  "private": true,
+  "type": "module",
+  "scripts": {
+    "test": "playwright test"
+  },
+  "devDependencies": {
+    "@playwright/test": "^1"
+  }
+}
diff --git a/e2e/playwright.config.js b/e2e/playwright.config.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..10a03de
--- /dev/null
+++ b/e2e/playwright.config.js
@@ -0,0 +1,25 @@
+import { defineConfig } from "@playwright/test";
+
+const port = process.env.E2E_PORT || "8765";
+
+export default defineConfig({
+  testDir: "tests",
+  // One seeded wiki is shared, and tests mutate it: run serially.
+  workers: 1,
+  fullyParallel: false,
+  reporter: "list",
+  use: {
+    baseURL: `http://127.0.0.1:${port}`,
+    // System Chrome; no Playwright browser download needed.
+    channel: "chrome",
+    trace: "retain-on-failure",
+    screenshot: "only-on-failure",
+  },
+  webServer: {
+    command: "node server.mjs",
+    url: `http://127.0.0.1:${port}/`,
+    timeout: 120_000,
+    reuseExistingServer: false,
+    stdout: "pipe",
+  },
+});
diff --git a/e2e/server.mjs b/e2e/server.mjs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..fe4c4d0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/e2e/server.mjs
@@ -0,0 +1,36 @@
+// Builds datascape, seeds a throwaway wiki and runs the server in the
+// foreground. Playwright's webServer starts this and kills it after the run.
+import { execFileSync, spawn } from "node:child_process";
+import { mkdirSync, rmSync, writeFileSync } from "node:fs";
+import { dirname, join } from "node:path";
+import { fileURLToPath } from "node:url";
+
+const here = dirname(fileURLToPath(import.meta.url));
+const tmp = join(here, ".tmp");
+const wiki = join(tmp, "wiki");
+const bin = join(tmp, process.platform === "win32" ? "datascape.exe" : "datascape");
+const port = process.env.E2E_PORT || "8765";
+
+rmSync(tmp, { recursive: true, force: true });
+mkdirSync(wiki, { recursive: true });
+
+execFileSync("go", ["build", "-o", bin, "."], { cwd: join(here, ".."), stdio: "inherit" });
+
+const pages = {
+  "index.md": "# Home\n\nWelcome.\n",
+  "Projects/index.md": "# Projects\n\n## Todo\n\n- [ ] first task\n- [x] second task\n",
+  "Projects/Alpha/index.md": "# Alpha\n\nAlpha page.\n",
+  "Projects/Beta/index.md": "# Beta\n\nBeta page.\n",
+  "Notes/index.md": "# Notes\n\nSome notes.\n",
+};
+for (const [p, body] of Object.entries(pages)) {
+  mkdirSync(dirname(join(wiki, p)), { recursive: true });
+  writeFileSync(join(wiki, p), body);
+}
+writeFileSync(join(wiki, "Projects", "readme.txt"), "a file\n");
+
+const srv = spawn(bin, ["-dir", wiki, "-cache", join(tmp, "cache"), "-addr", "127.0.0.1:" + port, "-calendars", ""], {
+  stdio: "inherit",
+});
+srv.on("exit", (code) => process.exit(code ?? 0));
+for (const sig of ["SIGINT", "SIGTERM"]) process.on(sig, () => srv.kill());
diff --git a/e2e/tests/pages.spec.js b/e2e/tests/pages.spec.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..c4ee55d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/e2e/tests/pages.spec.js
@@ -0,0 +1,107 @@
+// Baseline end-to-end coverage of the page UI. Tests drive the app through
+// visible labels, not implementation details, so they keep passing when the
+// client-side mechanics change (e.g. the move to HTMX).
+import { test, expect } from "@playwright/test";
+import { mkdirSync, readFileSync } from "node:fs";
+import { dirname, join } from "node:path";
+import { fileURLToPath } from "node:url";
+
+const wiki = join(dirname(fileURLToPath(import.meta.url)), "..", ".tmp", "wiki");
+
+// Fail any test that logs a JS error.
+test.beforeEach(({ page }) => {
+  page.on("pageerror", (err) => {
+    throw err;
+  });
+});
+
+const sidebar = (page) => page.locator("aside.tree-sidebar");
+const modal = (page) => page.locator(".modal");
+
+// Page actions sit in a dropdown on narrow screens and inline (icon-only) on
+// wide ones; address them by title and open the dropdown only when present.
+async function pageAction(page, title) {
+  const toggle = page.getByRole("button", { name: "ACTIONS" });
+  if (await toggle.isVisible()) await toggle.click();
+  await page.locator("header").getByTitle(title).click();
+}
+
+test("renders a page and navigates via the sidebar", async ({ page }) => {
+  await page.goto("/");
+  await expect(page.locator("main h1")).toContainText("Home");
+  await sidebar(page).getByRole("link", { name: "Projects" }).click();
+  await expect(page).toHaveURL(/\/Projects\/$/);
+  await expect(page.locator("main h1")).toContainText("Projects");
+  // The sidebar expands the active folder's children.
+  await expect(sidebar(page).getByRole("link", { name: "Alpha" })).toBeVisible();
+});
+
+test("task checkbox toggle persists", async ({ page }) => {
+  await page.goto("/Projects/");
+  const box = page.locator("main input.task-checkbox").first();
+  await expect(box).not.toBeChecked();
+  await box.check();
+  await expect(box).toBeEnabled();
+  await expect.poll(() => readFileSync(join(wiki, "Projects", "index.md"), "utf8")).toContain("- [x] first task");
+  await page.reload();
+  await expect(page.locator("main input.task-checkbox").first()).toBeChecked();
+});
+
+test("view settings switch the listing to thumbnails", async ({ page }) => {
+  await page.goto("/Projects/");
+  await expect(page.locator("main table.data-table")).toBeVisible();
+  await page.getByTitle("View & sorting").click();
+  await modal(page).getByRole("button", { name: "Thumbnail" }).click();
+  await modal(page).getByRole("button", { name: "SAVE" }).click();
+  await expect(page.locator("main .thumb-grid")).toBeVisible();
+  await expect(page).toHaveURL(/\/Projects\/$/);
+});
+
+test("editor saves a page", async ({ page }) => {
+  await page.goto("/Projects/Alpha/");
+  await pageAction(page, "Edit page (E)");
+  await expect(page).toHaveURL(/\?edit/);
+  const editor = page.locator(".cm-content");
+  await editor.click();
+  await page.keyboard.press("Control+End");
+  await page.keyboard.type("\nAdded by e2e.\n");
+  await page.getByRole("button", { name: "SAVE" }).click();
+  await expect(page).toHaveURL(/\/Projects\/Alpha\/$/);
+  await expect(page.locator("main")).toContainText("Added by e2e.");
+  // Save replaces the editor's history entry: Back leaves the page entirely.
+  await page.goBack();
+  await expect(page).not.toHaveURL(/\?edit/);
+});
+
+test("move renames a page", async ({ page }) => {
+  await page.goto("/Projects/Beta/");
+  await pageAction(page, "Move page (M)");
+  // Tree picker preselects the current parent; keep it.
+  await modal(page).getByRole("button", { name: "NEXT" }).click();
+  await modal(page).locator("input").fill("Gamma");
+  await modal(page).getByRole("button", { name: "MOVE" }).click();
+  await expect(page).toHaveURL(/\/Projects\/Gamma\/$/);
+  await expect(page.locator("main h1")).toContainText("Beta");
+});
+
+test("move onto an empty folder offers a merge", async ({ page }) => {
+  mkdirSync(join(wiki, "Projects", "Empty"), { recursive: true });
+  await page.goto("/Projects/Alpha/");
+  await pageAction(page, "Move page (M)");
+  await modal(page).getByRole("button", { name: "NEXT" }).click();
+  await modal(page).locator("input").fill("Empty");
+  await modal(page).getByRole("button", { name: "MOVE" }).click();
+  await expect(modal(page)).toContainText("Merge folders?");
+  await modal(page).getByRole("button", { name: "MERGE" }).click();
+  await expect(page).toHaveURL(/\/Projects\/Empty\/$/);
+  await expect(page.locator("main h1")).toContainText("Alpha");
+});
+
+test("delete removes a page and returns to the parent", async ({ page }) => {
+  await page.goto("/Notes/");
+  await pageAction(page, "Delete page");
+  await expect(modal(page)).toContainText("Delete /Notes/");
+  await modal(page).getByRole("button", { name: "DELETE" }).click();
+  await expect(page).toHaveURL(/127\.0\.0\.1:\d+\/$/);
+  await expect(sidebar(page).getByRole("link", { name: "Notes" })).toHaveCount(0);
+});