fix(ci): build before Playwright preview server starts

Playwright plugin setup runs webServer before globalSetup, so CI
vite preview returned 404 without dist/ and timed out. Add an
explicit build step in the workflow and remove the late globalSetup.

Author: PabloTheThinker

.github/workflows/ci.yml

@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ jobs:
           cache: npm
       - run: npm ci
       - run: npx playwright install chromium
+      - run: npm run build
       - run: npm run test
 
   perf-gate:

CHANGELOG.md

@@ -4,6 +4,23 @@ Notable changes to Lotus Engine. Newest entries first.
 
 ---
 
+## 2026-06-14 — CI fix: Playwright webServer build order
+
+### Fixed
+- GitHub Actions `build-test` — Playwright starts `webServer` before `globalSetup`, so `vite preview` served 404 without `dist/` and timed out after 120s
+- `playwright.config.ts` — build before preview locally; CI relies on workflow `npm run build` step; timeout raised to 300s in CI
+- `.github/workflows/ci.yml` — explicit `npm run build` before tests
+
+### Removed
+- `tests/global-setup.ts` — redundant; ran too late to help webServer startup
+
+### Verification
+```bash
+CI=1 npm run build && CI=1 npm run test   # 519 passed
+```
+
+---
+
 ## 2026-06-14 — Public GitHub release
 
 ### Added

playwright.config.ts

@@ -28,11 +28,13 @@ export default defineConfig({
       use: { ...devices['Desktop Chrome'] },
     },
   ],
-  globalSetup: './tests/global-setup.ts',
   webServer: {
-    command: `npm run preview -- --host ${HOST} --port ${PORT}`,
+    // Playwright starts webServer before globalSetup would run; local runs build here, CI builds in workflow.
+    command: process.env.CI
+      ? `npm run preview -- --host ${HOST} --port ${PORT}`
+      : `npm run build && npm run preview -- --host ${HOST} --port ${PORT}`,
     url: BASE_URL,
     reuseExistingServer: !process.env.CI,
-    timeout: 120_000,
+    timeout: process.env.CI ? 300_000 : 180_000,
   },
 })