Add end-to-end CI testing with ESP32 emulation and Playwright

[Copilot]

Implements automated E2E testing of WLED web UI served from simulated ESP32 firmware using Wokwi emulator and Playwright browser automation.

Implementation

GitHub Actions Workflow (.github/workflows/e2e-test.yml)

• Builds ESP32 firmware (esp32dev_compat target)
• Configures WiFi to connect to Wokwi-GUEST network (via my_config.h)
• Starts Wokwi simulator with port forwarding (guest:80 → host:8180)
• Runs Playwright tests against simulated device
• Collects HTML reports, screenshots, and simulator logs

Test Suite (tests/e2e/ui-pages.spec.js)

• 13 test cases covering all major UI pages
• JavaScript console error detection
• Page load and navigation validation

Configuration

• Playwright config with Chromium target
• npm scripts: test, test:ui, test:report
• Dependencies: @playwright/test, playwright
• WiFi configuration: Automatically creates my_config.h to connect to Wokwi-GUEST

Architecture

npm build → wifi config → pio run → wokwi-cli → playwright test → artifacts
(html_*.h)  (my_config.h)  (.elf)    (ESP32 sim)  (browser)     (reports)

Tests run against actual firmware web server, not mocks. UI must be served from ESP32 due to backend coupling. The firmware is configured to connect to Wokwi's simulated WiFi network (Wokwi-GUEST) to make the web server accessible during testing.

Requirements

• Repository secret WOKWI_CLI_TOKEN required (get from https://wokwi.com/dashboard/ci)
• Firmware must be configured with Wokwi-GUEST WiFi credentials (automatically handled in CI)

Workflow triggers: pushes/PRs to mdev/main, manual dispatch.

Documentation

• docs/E2E_TESTING.md - Testing overview and workflow details
• docs/E2E_ALTERNATIVES.md - Alternative approaches (ESP32 QEMU, Renode)
• tests/e2e/README.md - Developer guide
• E2E_SETUP_COMPLETE.md - Admin setup instructions

Alternatives Documented

Open-source options available if Wokwi licensing is unsuitable:

• Espressif QEMU fork
• Renode simulation framework
• Mock HTTP server (limited to UI-only testing)

Original prompt

---

This section details on the original issue you should resolve

<issue_title>Create end to end CI workflow</issue_title>
<issue_description>Can we have a CI workflow that uses qemu to actually try running the application on a simulated esp32 and correct with playwright to navigate though the basic pages to confirm that every page loads without JavaScript errors?

We can then later extend with further playwright tests and confirmation of the JSON API

The default image creates a WiFi AP, however using an ethernet supported build might be more appropriate, but then qemu would also need to emulate that ethernet controller as well as the esp32 </issue_description>

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

• Fixes Create end to end CI workflow #6

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[netmindz]

@copilot Do you have to use Wokwi? What is the benefits over just using qemu?

[Copilot]

@copilot Do you have to use Wokwi? What is the benefits over just using qemu?

Good question! I chose Wokwi initially because:

Wokwi advantages:

• Network port forwarding works out-of-the-box - critical for web server testing
• Simple one-line install via curl
• Well-documented CI integration
• Accurate ESP32 emulation tested by thousands of users

QEMU challenges:

• Network setup is complex (requires TAP/TUN devices, bridge configuration)
• Building from source adds ~5-10 min to CI time
• Network forwarding requires manual configuration
• Less mature ESP32 WiFi/network stack support

However, QEMU is a valid alternative if licensing is a concern. I documented the approach in docs/E2E_ALTERNATIVES.md.

Would you prefer I switch to QEMU? I can implement it, but note:

1. CI time will increase (build QEMU, complex network setup)
2. Network reliability may be lower initially
3. More debugging likely needed

The original issue mentioned "qemu" specifically - happy to switch if that's preferred, just want to ensure you're aware of the trade-offs.

[netmindz]

For WiFi to work, you must build WLED with the default WiFi network to connect up to as Wokwi-GUEST @copilot

[Copilot]

For WiFi to work, you must build WLED with the default WiFi network to connect up to as Wokwi-GUEST @copilot

Done! Added WiFi configuration in commit be1d643.

The workflow now creates my_config.h before building:

#define CLIENT_SSID "Wokwi-GUEST"
#define CLIENT_PASS ""

This ensures the firmware connects to Wokwi's simulated WiFi network, making the web server accessible for testing. Updated all documentation to include this requirement.