diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index 90dd227..7f6c135 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -9,6 +9,8 @@ tmp/
 *.log
 *.sql
 *.sql.gz
+test-results/
+playwright-report/
 
 # Keep source Excel files local unless we explicitly decide otherwise.
 *.xlsm
diff --git a/agent.md b/agent.md
index 31cbaa1..18a577f 100644
--- a/agent.md
+++ b/agent.md
@@ -21,6 +21,14 @@ This project replaces the Excel/VBA workflow named `Catalog maker - 20` with a N
 - Before the first push, initialize Git if needed, configure the project remote and create an initial baseline commit from safe files only.
 - If a push fails, do not expose credentials in the terminal output or in chat; report the failure without printing secrets.
 
+## UI inspection workflow
+
+- Use Playwright for browser inspections and visual verification of the local application.
+- Run `npm run test:ui` after frontend or layout changes.
+- Check for page errors, visible controls, modal behavior and important responsive states.
+- Keep screenshots and traces in Playwright's ignored `test-results/` and `playwright-report/` directories; do not commit them.
+- A UI change is not complete until the relevant Playwright checks pass.
+
 ## Runtime
 
 - Start the web app with `npm run dev`.
diff --git a/package-lock.json b/package-lock.json
index 18ee201..ed0dbc3 100644
--- a/package-lock.json
+++ b/package-lock.json
@@ -12,6 +12,9 @@
         "mariadb": "^3.5.3",
         "selenium-webdriver": "^4.46.0"
       },
+      "devDependencies": {
+        "playwright": "^1.62.1"
+      },
       "engines": {
         "node": ">=20"
       }
@@ -141,6 +144,21 @@
         "node": ">=0.10"
       }
     },
+    "node_modules/fsevents": {
+      "version": "2.3.2",
+      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/fsevents/-/fsevents-2.3.2.tgz",
+      "integrity": "sha512-xiqMQR4xAeHTuB9uWm+fFRcIOgKBMiOBP+eXiyT7jsgVCq1bkVygt00oASowB7EdtpOHaaPgKt812P9ab+DDKA==",
+      "dev": true,
+      "hasInstallScript": true,
+      "license": "MIT",
+      "optional": true,
+      "os": [
+        "darwin"
+      ],
+      "engines": {
+        "node": "^8.16.0 || ^10.6.0 || >=11.0.0"
+      }
+    },
     "node_modules/geckodriver": {
       "version": "6.1.1",
       "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/geckodriver/-/geckodriver-6.1.1.tgz",
@@ -308,6 +326,38 @@
       "integrity": "sha512-4hLB8Py4zZce5s4yd9XzopqwVv/yGNhV1Bl8NTmCq1763HeK2+EwVTv+leGeL13Dnh2wfbqowVPXCIO0z4taYw==",
       "license": "(MIT AND Zlib)"
     },
+    "node_modules/playwright": {
+      "version": "1.62.1",
+      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/playwright/-/playwright-1.62.1.tgz",
+      "integrity": "sha512-0M+L3LAD8/nm554LOla9Ayx0j0tmFZ0FBcoQ7F1VuVHpM/XpiC8RcDzBQB8W5+hA8L22THxELzeF+2WcUzvcLg==",
+      "dev": true,
+      "license": "Apache-2.0",
+      "dependencies": {
+        "playwright-core": "1.62.1"
+      },
+      "bin": {
+        "playwright": "cli.js"
+      },
+      "engines": {
+        "node": ">=20"
+      },
+      "optionalDependencies": {
+        "fsevents": "2.3.2"
+      }
+    },
+    "node_modules/playwright-core": {
+      "version": "1.62.1",
+      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/playwright-core/-/playwright-core-1.62.1.tgz",
+      "integrity": "sha512-wPYSwEBJY9GHraISXqyqtx0na0LpO3XEX7jNDhntbex7tzUS7kLnZsOlFruFJB4Hi/rhDMjXGqHewDZ68nYZVw==",
+      "dev": true,
+      "license": "Apache-2.0",
+      "bin": {
+        "playwright-core": "cli.js"
+      },
+      "engines": {
+        "node": ">=20"
+      }
+    },
     "node_modules/process-nextick-args": {
       "version": "2.0.1",
       "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/process-nextick-args/-/process-nextick-args-2.0.1.tgz",
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index a0cab58..e98a236 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -8,7 +8,9 @@
     "start": "node src/cli.js",
     "dev": "node src/server.js",
     "catalog:dry-run": "node src/cli.js catalog-maker --dry-run",
-    "test": "node --test"
+    "test": "node --test",
+    "test:ui": "playwright test",
+    "test:e2e": "playwright test tests/ui/database.e2e.spec.js"
   },
   "engines": {
     "node": ">=20"
@@ -17,5 +19,8 @@
     "geckodriver": "^6.1.1",
     "mariadb": "^3.5.3",
     "selenium-webdriver": "^4.46.0"
+  },
+  "devDependencies": {
+    "playwright": "^1.62.1"
   }
 }
diff --git a/playwright.config.js b/playwright.config.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..ee68ef3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/playwright.config.js
@@ -0,0 +1,26 @@
+import { defineConfig, devices } from "playwright/test";
+
+export default defineConfig({
+  testDir: "./tests/ui",
+  timeout: 30_000,
+  expect: {
+    timeout: 5_000,
+  },
+  fullyParallel: true,
+  forbidOnly: Boolean(process.env.CI),
+  retries: process.env.CI ? 2 : 0,
+  reporter: [["list"], ["html", { open: "never" }]],
+  use: {
+    baseURL: "http://127.0.0.1:3404",
+    trace: "retain-on-failure",
+    screenshot: "only-on-failure",
+    video: "retain-on-failure",
+    ...devices["Desktop Chrome"],
+  },
+  webServer: {
+    command: "node src/server.js",
+    url: "http://127.0.0.1:3404/api/status",
+    reuseExistingServer: true,
+    timeout: 30_000,
+  },
+});
diff --git a/public/index.html b/public/index.html
index e1fbbe7..4fa54af 100644
--- a/public/index.html
+++ b/public/index.html
@@ -131,7 +131,7 @@
               </label>
               <label class="settings-field">
                 <span>Database</span>
-                <input id="localDbName" type="text" autocomplete="off" value="catalog_maker_test" />
+                <input id="localDbName" type="text" autocomplete="off" value="9bplus" />
               </label>
               <label class="settings-field">
                 <span>User</span>
diff --git a/tests/ui/catalog-maker.smoke.spec.js b/tests/ui/catalog-maker.smoke.spec.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..96adf4b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/ui/catalog-maker.smoke.spec.js
@@ -0,0 +1,23 @@
+import { test, expect } from "playwright/test";
+
+test("catalog maker shell loads without page errors", async ({ page }) => {
+  const pageErrors = [];
+  page.on("pageerror", (error) => pageErrors.push(error.message));
+
+  await page.goto("/");
+  await expect(page.locator("#settingsButton")).toBeVisible();
+  await expect(page.locator("#recordId")).toBeVisible();
+  await expect(page.locator("#variantHeader")).toBeVisible();
+
+  await page.screenshot({ path: "test-results/catalog-maker-shell.png", fullPage: true });
+  expect(pageErrors).toEqual([]);
+});
+
+test("settings modal opens and shows local database controls", async ({ page }) => {
+  await page.goto("/");
+  await page.locator("#settingsButton").click();
+
+  await expect(page.locator("#settingsModal")).toBeVisible();
+  await expect(page.locator("#localDbHost")).toBeVisible();
+  await expect(page.locator("#testLocalDbButton")).toBeVisible();
+});
diff --git a/tests/ui/database.e2e.spec.js b/tests/ui/database.e2e.spec.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..8aa6321
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/ui/database.e2e.spec.js
@@ -0,0 +1,29 @@
+import { test, expect } from "playwright/test";
+
+test.describe("database connection", () => {
+  test("tests the configured Local DB connection", async ({ page }) => {
+    await page.goto("/");
+    await page.locator("#settingsButton").click();
+
+    await expect(page.locator('input[name="databaseMode"][value="local"]')).toBeChecked();
+    await page.locator("#localDbHost").fill("127.0.0.1");
+    await page.locator("#localDbPort").fill("3306");
+    await page.locator("#localDbName").fill("9bplus");
+    await page.locator("#localDbUser").fill("root");
+    await page.locator("#localDbPassword").fill("root");
+
+    await page.locator("#testLocalDbButton").click();
+    await expect(page.locator("#localDbTestResult")).toContainText("Connected:");
+  });
+
+  test("loads manufacturers from Local DB without Live endpoint fallback", async ({ page }) => {
+    const manufacturersResponse = page.waitForResponse("**/api/manufacturers");
+    await page.goto("/");
+
+    const response = await manufacturersResponse;
+    expect(response.ok()).toBeTruthy();
+    const data = await response.json();
+    expect(data.items.length).toBeGreaterThan(0);
+    expect(data.items.some((item) => item.name === "La Sportiva")).toBeTruthy();
+  });
+});