Vitest unit tests extremely slow since E2E test introduction

Problem

The Vitest unit test suite (102 tests) has become extremely slow and sometimes appears to hang indefinitely. This started around the time Playwright E2E tests were introduced to the project.

Expected Behaviour

The 102 Vitest tests should complete in under 30 seconds.

Current Behaviour

Tests take several minutes or never return, requiring manual cancellation.

Investigation Needed

• Check if Playwright test dependencies or configuration are interfering with Vitest execution
• Check vitest.config.ts for issues (e.g., picking up E2E spec files, test environment config)
• Check if Playwright browser processes are left running and consuming resources
• Profile test execution to identify which tests or setup steps are slow
• Verify test isolation — are Vitest and Playwright test runners conflicting?

Environment

• Vitest (frontend unit tests): 102 tests
• Playwright E2E tests: 65 tests (separate runner)
• Platform: Windows 11