Bug: Docker-based E2E script creates root-owned test-results/playwright-report

[timothyfroehlich]

The new Docker-based E2E test script appears to create the test-results and playwright-report directories with root ownership. This causes subsequent npm run preflight or local test runs to fail with EACCES: permission denied when attempting to write to or clean up these directories.

Reproduction:

1. Run the Docker-based E2E script.
2. Run npm run preflight locally.

Observed Behavior:
Permission denied errors when Playwright tries to write to or unlink files in test-results or playwright-report.

Expected Behavior:
Directories and files created by the E2E script should be owned by the user or have broad enough permissions to be cleaned up by the local user.

[traycerai]

Plan

Observations

The Docker-based E2E testing infrastructure (file:scripts/test-e2e-docker.sh and file:docs/E2E_DOCKER.md) was introduced to enable Mobile Safari (WebKit) testing on Linux. However, the Docker setup creates permission issues with test output directories and adds unnecessary complexity to the testing workflow. The decision has been made to remove this Docker-based approach entirely.

Approach

Remove all Docker-related E2E testing infrastructure, including the helper script and documentation. This simplifies the testing setup and eliminates the permission issues caused by root-owned directories. The removal is clean and straightforward since the Docker approach was a recent addition that hasn't become deeply integrated into the codebase.

Implementation Steps

1. Delete Docker E2E Script

Remove file:scripts/test-e2e-docker.sh:

• This script is no longer needed and can be deleted entirely
• No other scripts depend on it

2. Delete Docker E2E Documentation

Remove file:docs/E2E_DOCKER.md:

• This documentation file describes the Docker approach and is no longer relevant
• Can be deleted entirely

3. Verify No References

Check for any references to the Docker E2E script or documentation:

• Search for imports or calls to test-e2e-docker.sh in CI/CD configuration files
• Search for links to E2E_DOCKER.md in other documentation
• Update any CI/CD workflows that may reference the Docker script
• Update any documentation that references the Docker approach

4. Clean Up Package Scripts (if applicable)

Review file:package.json for any npm scripts that reference the Docker E2E script:

• Remove or update any scripts that call ./scripts/test-e2e-docker.sh
• Ensure remaining test scripts are properly documented

Files to Modify/Delete

File	Action	Purpose
file:scripts/test-e2e-docker.sh	Delete	Remove Docker E2E script
file:docs/E2E_DOCKER.md	Delete	Remove Docker E2E documentation
CI/CD configuration files	Review & Update	Remove references to Docker E2E script
file:package.json	Review & Update	Remove Docker E2E-related npm scripts if present
Other documentation	Review & Update	Remove references to Docker E2E approach

Key Technical Details

• Clean Removal: The Docker infrastructure is self-contained and can be removed without affecting other parts of the codebase
• No Dependencies: No other scripts or workflows currently depend on the Docker E2E approach
• Simplified Testing: Removing Docker simplifies the testing setup and eliminates permission issues
• Future Considerations: If Mobile Safari testing on Linux becomes necessary in the future, alternative approaches (such as using cloud-based testing services) can be evaluated

Import In IDE

🤖 Prompt for AI Agents

## Observations

The Docker-based E2E testing infrastructure (`file:scripts/test-e2e-docker.sh` and `file:docs/E2E_DOCKER.md`) was introduced to enable Mobile Safari (WebKit) testing on Linux. However, the Docker setup creates permission issues with test output directories and adds unnecessary complexity to the testing workflow. The decision has been made to remove this Docker-based approach entirely.

## Approach

Remove all Docker-related E2E testing infrastructure, including the helper script and documentation. This simplifies the testing setup and eliminates the permission issues caused by root-owned directories. The removal is clean and straightforward since the Docker approach was a recent addition that hasn't become deeply integrated into the codebase.

## Implementation Steps

### 1. Delete Docker E2E Script

Remove `file:scripts/test-e2e-docker.sh`:
- This script is no longer needed and can be deleted entirely
- No other scripts depend on it

### 2. Delete Docker E2E Documentation

Remove `file:docs/E2E_DOCKER.md`:
- This documentation file describes the Docker approach and is no longer relevant
- Can be deleted entirely

### 3. Verify No References

Check for any references to the Docker E2E script or documentation:
- Search for imports or calls to `test-e2e-docker.sh` in CI/CD configuration files
- Search for links to `E2E_DOCKER.md` in other documentation
- Update any CI/CD workflows that may reference the Docker script
- Update any documentation that references the Docker approach

### 4. Clean Up Package Scripts (if applicable)

Review `file:package.json` for any npm scripts that reference the Docker E2E script:
- Remove or update any scripts that call `./scripts/test-e2e-docker.sh`
- Ensure remaining test scripts are properly documented

## Files to Modify/Delete

| File | Action | Purpose |
|------|--------|---------|
| `file:scripts/test-e2e-docker.sh` | Delete | Remove Docker E2E script |
| `file:docs/E2E_DOCKER.md` | Delete | Remove Docker E2E documentation |
| CI/CD configuration files | Review & Update | Remove references to Docker E2E script |
| `file:package.json` | Review & Update | Remove Docker E2E-related npm scripts if present |
| Other documentation | Review & Update | Remove references to Docker E2E approach |

## Key Technical Details

- **Clean Removal**: The Docker infrastructure is self-contained and can be removed without affecting other parts of the codebase
- **No Dependencies**: No other scripts or workflows currently depend on the Docker E2E approach
- **Simplified Testing**: Removing Docker simplifies the testing setup and eliminates permission issues
- **Future Considerations**: If Mobile Safari testing on Linux becomes necessary in the future, alternative approaches (such as using cloud-based testing services) can be evaluated

---

Execution Information

Branch: main
Commit: 2172026

---

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[timothyfroehlich]

I've decided that this is too messy to deal with, I'm going to fully remove the docker stuff

[traycerai]

I have updated the Implementation Plan to reflect the recent changes in the ticket.

Previous Plan

Observations

The Docker-based E2E script (file:scripts/test-e2e-docker.sh) runs Playwright tests inside a container that executes as root by default. When tests run, Playwright creates test-results/ and playwright-report/ directories with root ownership. These directories are mounted from the host via -v "$(pwd):/work/", causing permission conflicts when local users attempt to run npm run preflight or other test commands that need to write to or clean up these directories.

Approach

The solution modifies file:scripts/test-e2e-docker.sh to run the Docker container with the current user's UID and GID instead of root. This ensures all files and directories created inside the container match the host user's ownership. Additionally, a fallback permission fix command will be added to handle edge cases, and a pre-test cleanup will remove any existing root-owned directories to prevent conflicts.

Implementation Steps

1. Modify Docker Container User Permissions

Update file:scripts/test-e2e-docker.sh to run the container with the current user's UID and GID:

Changes to docker run command (around line 25-33):

• Add --user "$(id -u):$(id -g)" flag to the docker run command
• This ensures the container process runs as the current user instead of root
• All files created by Playwright will inherit the host user's ownership

Location: Between line 27 and 28, add the --user flag to the existing docker run command

2. Add Pre-Test Cleanup for Root-Owned Directories

Add a cleanup step before running Docker tests to remove any existing root-owned directories:

Add after line 18 (after database reset):

• Check if test-results/ or playwright-report/ directories exist
• If they exist and are owned by root, use sudo rm -rf to remove them
• Add informative echo messages to explain what's happening
• Wrap in conditional checks to avoid errors if directories don't exist

Implementation approach:

if [ -d "test-results" ] || [ -d "playwright-report" ]; then
  echo "🧹 Cleaning up any root-owned test directories..."
  sudo rm -rf test-results playwright-report 2>/dev/null || true
fi

3. Add Post-Test Permission Fix (Fallback Safety)

Add a fallback permission fix after tests complete to handle edge cases:

Add after line 33 (after the docker run command):

• Use chown to recursively fix ownership of test-results/ and playwright-report/
• Target the current user using $(id -u):$(id -g)
• Wrap in conditional to only run if directories exist
• Make it non-blocking (use || true) to avoid script failure

Implementation approach:

if [ -d "test-results" ] || [ -d "playwright-report" ]; then
  echo "🔧 Fixing permissions on test output directories..."
  sudo chown -R "$(id -u):$(id -g)" test-results playwright-report 2>/dev/null || true
fi

4. Update Documentation

Update file:docs/E2E_DOCKER.md to document the permission handling:

Add new section after "How It Works" (after line 33):

• Explain that the script runs the container as the current user to avoid permission issues
• Document the pre-test cleanup that removes root-owned directories
• Note that sudo may be required for cleanup if root-owned directories exist from previous runs
• Mention the post-test permission fix as a safety measure

5. Testing Verification

Manual testing steps to verify the fix:

1. Run ./scripts/test-e2e-docker.sh to create test directories
2. Verify test-results/ and playwright-report/ are owned by the current user (not root)
3. Run npm run preflight to ensure no permission errors occur
4. Verify cleanup works correctly

Architecture Overview

sequenceDiagram
    participant User
    participant Script as test-e2e-docker.sh
    participant Docker as Docker Container
    participant Host as Host Filesystem

    User->>Script: Execute ./scripts/test-e2e-docker.sh
    Script->>Script: Check for root-owned directories
    alt Root-owned directories exist
        Script->>Host: sudo rm -rf test-results playwright-report
    end
    Script->>Script: Run npm run db:fast-reset
    Script->>Docker: docker run --user $(id -u):$(id -g)
    Docker->>Docker: npm ci (as current user)
    Docker->>Docker: npx playwright test (as current user)
    Docker->>Host: Create test-results/ (owned by user)
    Docker->>Host: Create playwright-report/ (owned by user)
    Docker-->>Script: Tests complete
    Script->>Script: Verify directory permissions
    alt Directories exist
        Script->>Host: sudo chown -R $(id -u):$(id -g) (fallback)
    end
    Script-->>User: Tests complete, directories owned by user

Loading

Files to Modify

File	Changes	Purpose
file:scripts/test-e2e-docker.sh	Add --user flag, pre-test cleanup, post-test permission fix	Fix root ownership issue
file:docs/E2E_DOCKER.md	Add permission handling documentation	Inform users about the fix

Key Technical Details

• UID/GID Mapping: Using --user "$(id -u):$(id -g)" ensures the container process runs with the same user ID as the host user
• Pre-test Cleanup: Removes stale root-owned directories that may exist from previous runs before Docker was fixed
• Post-test Safety: Fallback chown ensures permissions are correct even if something unexpected happens
• Non-blocking: All cleanup commands use || true to prevent script failure if directories don't exist or permissions are already correct
• Sudo Requirement: The pre-test cleanup requires sudo only if root-owned directories exist from previous runs; after the fix, this should rarely be needed

Import In IDE

🤖 Prompt for AI Agents

## Observations

The Docker-based E2E script (`file:scripts/test-e2e-docker.sh`) runs Playwright tests inside a container that executes as root by default. When tests run, Playwright creates `test-results/` and `playwright-report/` directories with root ownership. These directories are mounted from the host via `-v "$(pwd):/work/"`, causing permission conflicts when local users attempt to run `npm run preflight` or other test commands that need to write to or clean up these directories.

## Approach

The solution modifies `file:scripts/test-e2e-docker.sh` to run the Docker container with the current user's UID and GID instead of root. This ensures all files and directories created inside the container match the host user's ownership. Additionally, a fallback permission fix command will be added to handle edge cases, and a pre-test cleanup will remove any existing root-owned directories to prevent conflicts.

## Implementation Steps

### 1. Modify Docker Container User Permissions

Update `file:scripts/test-e2e-docker.sh` to run the container with the current user's UID and GID:

**Changes to `docker run` command (around line 25-33):**
- Add `--user "$(id -u):$(id -g)"` flag to the `docker run` command
- This ensures the container process runs as the current user instead of root
- All files created by Playwright will inherit the host user's ownership

**Location:** Between line 27 and 28, add the `--user` flag to the existing `docker run` command

### 2. Add Pre-Test Cleanup for Root-Owned Directories

Add a cleanup step before running Docker tests to remove any existing root-owned directories:

**Add after line 18 (after database reset):**
- Check if `test-results/` or `playwright-report/` directories exist
- If they exist and are owned by root, use `sudo rm -rf` to remove them
- Add informative echo messages to explain what's happening
- Wrap in conditional checks to avoid errors if directories don't exist

**Implementation approach:**
```bash
if [ -d "test-results" ] || [ -d "playwright-report" ]; then
  echo "🧹 Cleaning up any root-owned test directories..."
  sudo rm -rf test-results playwright-report 2>/dev/null || true
fi
```

### 3. Add Post-Test Permission Fix (Fallback Safety)

Add a fallback permission fix after tests complete to handle edge cases:

**Add after line 33 (after the docker run command):**
- Use `chown` to recursively fix ownership of `test-results/` and `playwright-report/`
- Target the current user using `$(id -u):$(id -g)`
- Wrap in conditional to only run if directories exist
- Make it non-blocking (use `|| true`) to avoid script failure

**Implementation approach:**
```bash
if [ -d "test-results" ] || [ -d "playwright-report" ]; then
  echo "🔧 Fixing permissions on test output directories..."
  sudo chown -R "$(id -u):$(id -g)" test-results playwright-report 2>/dev/null || true
fi
```

### 4. Update Documentation

Update `file:docs/E2E_DOCKER.md` to document the permission handling:

**Add new section after "How It Works" (after line 33):**
- Explain that the script runs the container as the current user to avoid permission issues
- Document the pre-test cleanup that removes root-owned directories
- Note that `sudo` may be required for cleanup if root-owned directories exist from previous runs
- Mention the post-test permission fix as a safety measure

### 5. Testing Verification

**Manual testing steps to verify the fix:**
1. Run `./scripts/test-e2e-docker.sh` to create test directories
2. Verify `test-results/` and `playwright-report/` are owned by the current user (not root)
3. Run `npm run preflight` to ensure no permission errors occur
4. Verify cleanup works correctly

## Architecture Overview

```mermaid
sequenceDiagram
    participant User
    participant Script as test-e2e-docker.sh
    participant Docker as Docker Container
    participant Host as Host Filesystem

    User->>Script: Execute ./scripts/test-e2e-docker.sh
    Script->>Script: Check for root-owned directories
    alt Root-owned directories exist
        Script->>Host: sudo rm -rf test-results playwright-report
    end
    Script->>Script: Run npm run db:fast-reset
    Script->>Docker: docker run --user $(id -u):$(id -g)
    Docker->>Docker: npm ci (as current user)
    Docker->>Docker: npx playwright test (as current user)
    Docker->>Host: Create test-results/ (owned by user)
    Docker->>Host: Create playwright-report/ (owned by user)
    Docker-->>Script: Tests complete
    Script->>Script: Verify directory permissions
    alt Directories exist
        Script->>Host: sudo chown -R $(id -u):$(id -g) (fallback)
    end
    Script-->>User: Tests complete, directories owned by user
```

## Files to Modify

| File | Changes | Purpose |
|------|---------|---------|
| `file:scripts/test-e2e-docker.sh` | Add `--user` flag, pre-test cleanup, post-test permission fix | Fix root ownership issue |
| `file:docs/E2E_DOCKER.md` | Add permission handling documentation | Inform users about the fix |

## Key Technical Details

- **UID/GID Mapping**: Using `--user "$(id -u):$(id -g)"` ensures the container process runs with the same user ID as the host user
- **Pre-test Cleanup**: Removes stale root-owned directories that may exist from previous runs before Docker was fixed
- **Post-test Safety**: Fallback `chown` ensures permissions are correct even if something unexpected happens
- **Non-blocking**: All cleanup commands use `|| true` to prevent script failure if directories don't exist or permissions are already correct
- **Sudo Requirement**: The pre-test cleanup requires `sudo` only if root-owned directories exist from previous runs; after the fix, this should rarely be needed

---

Execution Information

Branch: main
Commit: 2c13b98

New Plan

Observations

The Docker-based E2E testing infrastructure (file:scripts/test-e2e-docker.sh and file:docs/E2E_DOCKER.md) was introduced to enable Mobile Safari (WebKit) testing on Linux. However, the Docker setup creates permission issues with test output directories and adds unnecessary complexity to the testing workflow. The decision has been made to remove this Docker-based approach entirely.

Approach

Remove all Docker-related E2E testing infrastructure, including the helper script and documentation. This simplifies the testing setup and eliminates the permission issues caused by root-owned directories. The removal is clean and straightforward since the Docker approach was a recent addition that hasn't become deeply integrated into the codebase.

Implementation Steps

1. Delete Docker E2E Script

Remove file:scripts/test-e2e-docker.sh:

• This script is no longer needed and can be deleted entirely
• No other scripts depend on it

2. Delete Docker E2E Documentation

Remove file:docs/E2E_DOCKER.md:

• This documentation file describes the Docker approach and is no longer relevant
• Can be deleted entirely

3. Verify No References

Check for any references to the Docker E2E script or documentation:

• Search for imports or calls to test-e2e-docker.sh in CI/CD configuration files
• Search for links to E2E_DOCKER.md in other documentation
• Update any CI/CD workflows that may reference the Docker script
• Update any documentation that references the Docker approach

4. Clean Up Package Scripts (if applicable)

Review file:package.json for any npm scripts that reference the Docker E2E script:

• Remove or update any scripts that call ./scripts/test-e2e-docker.sh
• Ensure remaining test scripts are properly documented

Files to Modify/Delete

File	Action	Purpose
file:scripts/test-e2e-docker.sh	Delete	Remove Docker E2E script
file:docs/E2E_DOCKER.md	Delete	Remove Docker E2E documentation
CI/CD configuration files	Review & Update	Remove references to Docker E2E script
file:package.json	Review & Update	Remove Docker E2E-related npm scripts if present
Other documentation	Review & Update	Remove references to Docker E2E approach

Key Technical Details

• Clean Removal: The Docker infrastructure is self-contained and can be removed without affecting other parts of the codebase
• No Dependencies: No other scripts or workflows currently depend on the Docker E2E approach
• Simplified Testing: Removing Docker simplifies the testing setup and eliminates permission issues
• Future Considerations: If Mobile Safari testing on Linux becomes necessary in the future, alternative approaches (such as using cloud-based testing services) can be evaluated

Import In IDE

🤖 Prompt for AI Agents

## Observations

The Docker-based E2E testing infrastructure (`file:scripts/test-e2e-docker.sh` and `file:docs/E2E_DOCKER.md`) was introduced to enable Mobile Safari (WebKit) testing on Linux. However, the Docker setup creates permission issues with test output directories and adds unnecessary complexity to the testing workflow. The decision has been made to remove this Docker-based approach entirely.

## Approach

Remove all Docker-related E2E testing infrastructure, including the helper script and documentation. This simplifies the testing setup and eliminates the permission issues caused by root-owned directories. The removal is clean and straightforward since the Docker approach was a recent addition that hasn't become deeply integrated into the codebase.

## Implementation Steps

### 1. Delete Docker E2E Script

Remove `file:scripts/test-e2e-docker.sh`:
- This script is no longer needed and can be deleted entirely
- No other scripts depend on it

### 2. Delete Docker E2E Documentation

Remove `file:docs/E2E_DOCKER.md`:
- This documentation file describes the Docker approach and is no longer relevant
- Can be deleted entirely

### 3. Verify No References

Check for any references to the Docker E2E script or documentation:
- Search for imports or calls to `test-e2e-docker.sh` in CI/CD configuration files
- Search for links to `E2E_DOCKER.md` in other documentation
- Update any CI/CD workflows that may reference the Docker script
- Update any documentation that references the Docker approach

### 4. Clean Up Package Scripts (if applicable)

Review `file:package.json` for any npm scripts that reference the Docker E2E script:
- Remove or update any scripts that call `./scripts/test-e2e-docker.sh`
- Ensure remaining test scripts are properly documented

## Files to Modify/Delete

| File | Action | Purpose |
|------|--------|---------|
| `file:scripts/test-e2e-docker.sh` | Delete | Remove Docker E2E script |
| `file:docs/E2E_DOCKER.md` | Delete | Remove Docker E2E documentation |
| CI/CD configuration files | Review & Update | Remove references to Docker E2E script |
| `file:package.json` | Review & Update | Remove Docker E2E-related npm scripts if present |
| Other documentation | Review & Update | Remove references to Docker E2E approach |

## Key Technical Details

- **Clean Removal**: The Docker infrastructure is self-contained and can be removed without affecting other parts of the codebase
- **No Dependencies**: No other scripts or workflows currently depend on the Docker E2E approach
- **Simplified Testing**: Removing Docker simplifies the testing setup and eliminates permission issues
- **Future Considerations**: If Mobile Safari testing on Linux becomes necessary in the future, alternative approaches (such as using cloud-based testing services) can be evaluated

---

Execution Information

Branch: main
Commit: 2172026