diff --git a/.env.tpl b/.env.tpl
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..8b23ef41
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.env.tpl
@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+REACT_APP_API_URL=$REACT_APP_API_URL
+REACT_APP_AUTH_METHOD=$REACT_APP_AUTH_METHOD
+REACT_APP_LOGIN_PAGE_URL=$REACT_APP_LOGIN_PAGE_URL
+REACT_APP_AUTH_TOKEN=$REACT_APP_AUTH_TOKEN
+REACT_APP_STYLE_TYPE=$REACT_APP_STYLE_TYPE
+REACT_APP_CONTEXT=$REACT_APP_CONTEXT
+REACT_APP_SHOW_AUTH_BUTTON=$REACT_APP_SHOW_AUTH_BUTTON
+REACT_APP_LOGOUT_PAGE_URL=$REACT_APP_LOGOUT_PAGE_URL
diff --git a/.github/workflows/test.yml b/.github/workflows/test.yml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..54708819
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.github/workflows/test.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,77 @@
+name: Playwright Tests
+
+env:
+  CONDA_STORE_SERVER_PORT: 8080
+  CONDA_STORE_BASE_URL: http://localhost:8080
+  CONDA_STORE_AUTH: basic
+  CONDA_STORE_USERNAME: username
+  CONDA_STORE_PASSWORD: password
+  REACT_APP_API_URL: http://localhost:5000/conda-store/
+  REACT_APP_AUTH_METHOD: cookie
+  REACT_APP_LOGIN_PAGE_URL: http://localhost:5000/conda-store/login?next=
+  REACT_APP_AUTH_TOKEN: 
+  REACT_APP_STYLE_TYPE: green-accent
+  REACT_APP_CONTEXT: webapp
+  REACT_APP_SHOW_AUTH_BUTTON: true
+  REACT_APP_LOGOUT_PAGE_URL: http://localhost:5000/conda-store/logout?next=/ 
+  YARN_ENABLE_IMMUTABLE_INSTALLS: false
+
+on:
+  pull_request:
+  push:
+    branches:
+      - main
+
+jobs:
+  test-conda-store-ui:
+    name: 'unit-test conda-store-ui'
+    strategy:
+      matrix:
+        # cannot run on windows due to needing fake-chroot for conda-docker
+        # osx takes forever to get a scheduled job
+        os: [ubuntu-latest]
+    runs-on: ${{ matrix.os }}
+    defaults:
+      run:
+        shell: bash -el {0}
+    steps:
+      - name: 'Checkout Repository'
+        uses: actions/checkout@master
+
+      - name: Set up Python
+        uses: conda-incubator/setup-miniconda@v2
+        env: 
+          CONDA_SOLVER: libmamba
+        with:
+          activate-environment: test-env
+          environment-file: environment_dev.yml
+          auto-activate-base: false
+
+      - name: Install Dependencies
+        run: |
+          sudo apt install wait-for-it -y
+
+      - name: Deploy conda-store-server docker container
+        run: |
+          docker-compose -f docker-compose-dev.yml up -d --build
+          docker ps
+
+          wait-for-it localhost:5000 # conda-store-server
+
+
+      - name: Deploy webpack dev server
+        shell: bash -el {0}
+        run: |
+          conda list
+          playwright install chromium
+          yarn install
+          yarn run build
+          yarn run start &
+          pytest --video on --output test-results --screenshots true test/playwright/test_ux.py
+
+      - name: Upload artifacts
+        uses: actions/upload-artifact@v2
+        if: ${{ always() }}
+        with:
+          name: playwright-tests
+          path: test-results
diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index 87a392b0..5c10c913 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -149,3 +149,6 @@ coverage
 *.swp
 
 src/version.ts
+
+# playwright screenshots
+static
diff --git a/environment_dev.yml b/environment_dev.yml
new file mode 100755
index 00000000..bdbcdadc
--- /dev/null
+++ b/environment_dev.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,14 @@
+# Environment for developing the conda-store-ui and for running 
+# playwright tests
+
+name: test-env
+channels:
+- conda-forge
+dependencies:
+- python=3.10
+- yarn
+- nodejs==16.14.2
+- pytest
+- pip:
+  - playwright
+  - pytest-playwright
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/test/playwright/conftest.py b/test/playwright/conftest.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..1b09f67e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/playwright/conftest.py
@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+import pytest
+
+
+def pytest_addoption(parser):
+    parser.addoption("--screenshots", action="store", default="false")
+
+@pytest.fixture(scope="session")
+def screenshot(pytestconfig):
+    if pytestconfig.getoption("screenshots") == 'false':
+        return False
+    else:
+        return True
diff --git a/test/playwright/test_ux.py b/test/playwright/test_ux.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..1b1f8e4c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/playwright/test_ux.py
@@ -0,0 +1,325 @@
+"""Test suite for user interactions with the UI. It is designed to run both
+inside and outside of pytest to make future development easier. 
+"""
+import os
+import requests
+import time
+
+import pytest
+from playwright.sync_api import Page
+from playwright.sync_api import sync_playwright
+import random
+
+
+CONDA_STORE_SERVER_PORT = os.environ.get(
+    "CONDA_STORE_SERVER_PORT", f"8080"
+)
+CONDA_STORE_BASE_URL = os.environ.get(
+    "CONDA_STORE_BASE_URL", f"http://localhost:{CONDA_STORE_SERVER_PORT}"
+)
+CONDA_STORE_USERNAME = os.environ.get("CONDA_STORE_USERNAME", "username")
+CONDA_STORE_PASSWORD = os.environ.get("CONDA_STORE_PASSWORD", "password")
+
+
+@pytest.fixture
+def test_config():
+    return {
+        'base_url': CONDA_STORE_BASE_URL,
+        'username': CONDA_STORE_USERNAME,
+        'password': CONDA_STORE_PASSWORD,
+        'server_port': CONDA_STORE_SERVER_PORT,
+    }
+
+
+def _login_sequence(page, screenshot=False):
+    """Conda-store ui login sequence. From the default UI interface, click log
+    in and go through the log in UI on the following page. The UI will be 
+    returned back to the default UI. 
+
+    Parameters
+    ----------
+    page: playwright.Page
+        page object for the current test being run
+    screenshot: bool
+        [Optional] Flag to trigger screenshot collection, set to True to  
+        grab screenshots
+    """
+    # Log in sequence
+    # Click Login
+    page.locator("text=Log in").click()
+
+    if screenshot:
+        page.screenshot(path="test-results/conda-store-login_screen.png")
+
+    # Fill in the Username field
+    page.locator('[placeholder="Username"]').fill("username")
+
+    # Fill in the Password field
+    page.locator('[placeholder="Password"]').fill("password")
+
+    with page.expect_navigation():
+        page.locator('button:has-text("Sign In")').click()
+
+    if screenshot:
+        page.screenshot(path="test-results/conda-store-authenticated.png")
+
+
+def _create_new_environment(page, screenshot=False):
+    """Workflow to create a new environment in the UI. The env will be 
+    in the "username" workspace and will have a semi-random number to
+    ensure that the env is indeed new since if the environment already
+    exists we get a different UI. This allows this test to be run multiple
+    times without needing to empty the database. 
+
+    Note: this environment takes about a minute to create
+    WARNING: Changes to this method will require reflective changes on 
+    `_existing_environment_interactions` since it uses this env. 
+    
+    Parameters
+    ----------
+    page: playwright.Page
+        page object for the current test being run
+    screenshot: bool
+        [Optional] Flag to trigger screenshot collection, set to True to  
+        grab screenshots
+    """
+    # ensure new filename in case this test is run multiple times
+    new_env_name = f'test_env_{random.randint(0, 100000)}' 
+    # set timeout for building the environment
+    time_to_build_env = 2 * 60 * 1000  # 2 minutes in milliseconds
+
+    # Create the new environment
+    # click the + to create a new env
+    page.get_by_label("Create a new environment in the username namespace").click()
+    if screenshot:
+        page.screenshot(path="test-results/conda-store-new-env.png")
+    # fill in the env name
+    page.get_by_placeholder("Environment name").fill(new_env_name)
+    # fill in the description
+    page.get_by_placeholder("Enter here the description of your environment").fill("description")
+    # click the + to add a package
+    page.get_by_role("button", name="+ Add Package").click()
+    # add a package to the ui
+    page.get_by_label("Enter package").fill("rich")
+    page.get_by_role("option", name="rich", exact=True).click()
+    # open up the channels accordian card
+    page.get_by_role("button", name="Channels").click()
+    # click the + to add a channel
+    page.get_by_role("button", name="+ Add Channel").click()
+    # fill in conda-forge as the new channel name
+    page.get_by_label("Enter channel").fill("conda-forge")
+    # press enter to submit the channel to the list
+    page.get_by_label("Enter channel").press("Enter")
+    # click create to start building the env
+    page.get_by_role("button", name="Create", exact=True).click()
+    
+    # Interact with the environment shortly after creation
+    # click to open the Active environment dropdown manu
+    page.get_by_role("button", name=" - Active", exact=False).click()
+    # click on the Active environment on the dropdown menu item (which is currently building)
+    page.get_by_role("option", name=" - Active", exact=False).click()
+    # ensure that the environment is building
+    assert page.get_by_text("Building").is_visible()
+    # wait until the status is `Completed`
+    completed = page.get_by_text("Completed", exact=False)
+    completed.wait_for(state='attached', timeout=time_to_build_env)
+    assert completed.is_visible()
+
+    return new_env_name
+
+
+def _close_environment_tabs(page):
+    """Close any open tabs in the UI. This will continue closing tabs 
+    until no tabs remain open.
+
+    Paramaters
+    ----------
+    page: playwright.Page
+        page object for the current test being run
+    """
+    close_tab = page.get_by_test_id("closeTab")
+    while close_tab.count() > 0:
+        close_tab.first.click()
+
+
+def _existing_environment_interactions(page, env_name, time_to_build_env=3*60*1000, screenshot=False):
+    """test interactions with existing environments. 
+    During this test, the test will be rebuilt twice. 
+
+    Note: This test assumes the environment being tested is the one from 
+    `_create_new_environment`. Changes to that method will require changes
+    here as well (expected existing packages, etc). 
+
+    Parameters
+    ----------
+    page: playwright.Page
+        page object for the current test being run
+    env_name: str
+        Name of existing environment to interact with - must already exist!
+    time_to_build_env: float
+        [Optional] Time to wait for an updated environment to rebuild in ms 
+    screenshot: bool
+        [Optional] Flag to trigger screenshot collection, set to True to  
+        grab screenshots
+
+    """
+    # edit existing environment throught the YAML editor
+    page.get_by_role("button", name=env_name).click()
+    page.get_by_role("button", name="Edit").click()
+    page.get_by_label("Switch to YAML Editor").check()
+    if screenshot:
+        page.screenshot(path="test-results/conda-store-yaml-editor.png")
+    page.get_by_text("- rich").click()
+    page.get_by_text("channels: - conda-forgedependencies: - rich - pip: - nothing - ipykernel").fill("channels:\n  - conda-forge\ndependencies:\n  - rich\n  - python\n  - pip:\n      - nothing\n  - ipykernel\n\n")
+    page.get_by_role("button", name="Save").click()
+    # wait until the status is `Completed`
+    completed = page.get_by_text("Completed", exact=False)
+    completed.wait_for(state='attached', timeout=time_to_build_env)
+
+    # ensure the namespace is expanded
+    if not page.get_by_role("button", name=env_name).is_visible():
+        # click to expand the `username` name space (but not click the +)
+        page.get_by_role("button", name="username Create a new environment in the username namespace").click()
+
+    # edit existing environment
+    page.get_by_role("button", name=env_name).click()
+    page.get_by_role("button", name="Edit").click()
+    # page.get_by_placeholder("Enter here the description of your environment").click()
+    # change the description
+    page.get_by_placeholder("Enter here the description of your environment").fill("new description")
+    # change the vesion spec of an existing package
+    page.get_by_role("row", name="ipykernel", exact=False).get_by_role("button").first.click()
+    page.get_by_role("option", name=">=").click()
+    # Note: purposefully not testing version constraint since there is inconsistent behavior here
+
+    # add a new package
+    page.get_by_role("button", name="+ Add Package").click()
+    page.get_by_label("Enter package").fill("click")
+    page.get_by_role("option", name="click", exact=True).click()
+    # Note: purposefully not testing version constraint since there is inconsistent behavior here
+    
+    # delete a package
+    page.get_by_role("row", name="rich", exact=False).get_by_test_id("RemovePackageTest").click()
+
+    # promote a package installed as dependency to specified package
+    page.locator("#infScroll > .infinite-scroll-component__outerdiv > .infinite-scroll-component > div > div > .MuiButtonBase-root").first.click()
+    
+    # delete conda-forge channel
+    page.get_by_test_id("DeleteIcon").click()
+    # add conda-forge channel
+    page.get_by_role("button", name="+ Add Channel").click()
+    page.get_by_label("Enter channel").fill("conda-forge")
+    page.get_by_label("Enter channel").press("Enter")
+    # click save to start the new env build
+    page.get_by_role("button", name="Save").click()
+
+    # wait until the status is `Completed`
+    completed = page.get_by_text("Completed", exact=False)
+    completed.wait_for(state='attached', timeout=time_to_build_env)
+
+
+    # Edit -> Cancel editing
+    page.get_by_role("button", name=env_name).click()
+    page.get_by_role("button", name="Edit").click()
+    page.get_by_role("button", name="Cancel").click()
+
+    # Edit -> Delete environment
+    page.get_by_role("button", name="Edit").click()
+    page.get_by_text("Delete environment").click()
+    page.get_by_role("button", name="Delete").click()
+
+    assert not page.get_by_role("button", name=env_name).is_visible()
+
+
+
+def test_integration(page: Page, test_config, screenshot):
+    """Basic integration test.
+
+    When this test runs in CI, we launch the webpack server as a detached 
+    service at the same time that this test is run. For this reason, we 
+    have a try/except here to allow the webpack server to finish deploying
+    before the test begins. 
+
+    Parameters
+    ----------
+    page: playwright.Page
+        page object for the current test being run
+    test_config: 
+        Fixture containing the configuration env vars
+    screenshot: bool
+        Fixture flag to trigger screenshot collection, set to True to  
+        grab screenshots 
+    """
+    # wait for server to spin up if necessary
+    server_running = False
+    retry_wait_time = 2  # seconds
+    max_wait_time = 4 * 60  # 4 minutes
+    elapsed_wait_time = 0
+    # loop until server is running or max_wait_time is reached
+    while not server_running and elapsed_wait_time < max_wait_time:
+        try: 
+            requests.head(test_config['base_url'], allow_redirects=True).status_code != 200
+            server_running = True
+        except requests.exceptions.ConnectionError:
+            elapsed_wait_time += retry_wait_time
+            time.sleep(retry_wait_time)
+
+    # Go to http://localhost:{server_port}
+    page.goto(test_config['base_url'], wait_until="domcontentloaded", timeout=4*60*1000)
+
+    page.screenshot(path="test-results/conda-store-unauthenticated.png")
+    if screenshot:
+        page.screenshot(path="test-results/conda-store-unauthenticated.png")
+
+    # Log in to conda-store
+    _login_sequence(page, screenshot=screenshot)
+
+    # create a new environment
+    env_name = _create_new_environment(page, screenshot=screenshot)
+
+    # close any open tabs on the conda-store ui
+    _close_environment_tabs(page)
+
+    # interact with an existing environment
+    _existing_environment_interactions(page, env_name, screenshot=screenshot)
+
+
+if __name__ == "__main__":
+    """This sequence runs through the basic UI test outside of pytest to allow
+    for more control during development. It is not intended to be used in CI.
+    """
+
+    config = {
+        'base_url': f"http://localhost:{CONDA_STORE_SERVER_PORT}",
+        'username': CONDA_STORE_USERNAME,
+        'password': CONDA_STORE_PASSWORD,
+        'server_port': CONDA_STORE_SERVER_PORT,
+    }
+    screenshot = False
+
+    # ########################################################################
+    # Start playwright and setup
+    playwright = sync_playwright().start()
+    # Use playwright.chromium, playwright.firefox or playwright.webkit
+    # Pass headless=False to launch() to see the browser UI
+    # slow_mo adds milliseconds to each playwright command so humans can follow along
+    browser = playwright.chromium.launch(headless=False, slow_mo=500)
+    page = browser.new_page()
+
+    # Go to http://localhost:{server_port}
+    page.goto(config['base_url'], wait_until="domcontentloaded")
+    
+    # Log in to conda-store
+    _login_sequence(page)
+
+    # create a new environment
+    env_name = _create_new_environment(page, screenshot=screenshot)
+
+    # close any open tabs on the conda-store ui
+    _close_environment_tabs(page)
+
+    # interact with an existing environment
+    _existing_environment_interactions(page, env_name, screenshot=screenshot)
+
+    browser.close()
+    playwright.stop()
\ No newline at end of file