diff --git a/lib/tool_shed/test/playwright/__init__.py b/lib/tool_shed/test/playwright/__init__.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..e69de29bb2d1
diff --git a/lib/tool_shed/test/playwright/_framework.py b/lib/tool_shed/test/playwright/_framework.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..d21ee4dadce8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/tool_shed/test/playwright/_framework.py
@@ -0,0 +1,174 @@
+from urllib.parse import (
+    urlencode,
+    urlparse,
+)
+
+import pytest
+from playwright.sync_api import (
+    expect,
+    Locator,
+    Page,
+)
+
+from tool_shed.test.base.api import ShedBaseTestCase
+from tool_shed.test.base.twilltestcase import test_db_util
+
+
+@pytest.mark.usefixtures("page")
+class ShedPlaywrightTestCase(ShedBaseTestCase):
+    def setUp(self):
+        super().setUp()
+        self.test_db_util = test_db_util
+
+    @pytest.fixture(autouse=True)
+    def inject_page(self, page: Page):
+        self._page = page
+
+    def _visit_url(self, url, params=None, doseq=False, allowed_codes=None):
+        page = self._page
+        # mirror twilltestcase visit_url...
+        if allowed_codes is None:
+            allowed_codes = [200]
+        if params is None:
+            params = dict()
+        parsed_url = urlparse(url)
+        if len(parsed_url.netloc) == 0:
+            url = f"http://{self.host}:{self.port}{parsed_url.path}"
+        else:
+            url = f"{parsed_url.scheme}://{parsed_url.netloc}{parsed_url.path}"
+        if parsed_url.query:
+            for query_parameter in parsed_url.query.split("&"):
+                key, value = query_parameter.split("=")
+                params[key] = value
+        if params:
+            url += f"?{urlencode(params, doseq=doseq)}"
+        response = page.goto(url)
+        return_code = response.status
+        assert return_code in allowed_codes, "Invalid HTTP return code {}, allowed codes: {}".format(
+            return_code,
+            ", ".join(str(code) for code in allowed_codes),
+        )
+        return response
+
+    def _check_for_strings(self, strings_displayed=None, strings_not_displayed=None):
+        strings_displayed = strings_displayed or []
+        strings_not_displayed = strings_not_displayed or []
+        if strings_displayed:
+            for check_str in strings_displayed:
+                self._check_page_for_string(check_str)
+        if strings_not_displayed:
+            for check_str in strings_not_displayed:
+                self._check_string_not_in_page(check_str)
+
+    def _check_page_for_string(self, patt):
+        """Looks for 'patt' in the current browser page"""
+        expect(self._page.locator("body")).to_contain_text(patt)
+
+    def _check_string_not_in_page(self, patt):
+        expect(self._page.locator("body")).not_to_contain_text(patt)
+
+    def _logout(self) -> None:
+        self._visit_url("/user/logout")
+        self._check_page_for_string("You have been logged out")
+
+    def _login(
+        self,
+        email: str = "test@bx.psu.edu",
+        password: str = "testuser",
+        username: str = "admin-user",
+        redirect: str = "",
+        logout_first: bool = True,
+    ):
+        # Clear cookies.
+        if logout_first:
+            self._logout()
+        # test@bx.psu.edu is configured as an admin user
+        previously_created, username_taken, invalid_username = self._create(
+            email=email, password=password, username=username, redirect=redirect
+        )
+        if previously_created:
+            # The acount has previously been created, so just login.
+            # HACK: don't use panels because late_javascripts() messes up the twill browser and it
+            # can't find form fields (and hence user can't be logged in).
+            params = {"use_panels": False}
+            self._visit_url("/user/login", params=params)
+            self.submit_form(button="login_button", login=email, redirect=redirect, password=password)
+
+    def _create(
+        self, cntrller="user", email="test@bx.psu.edu", password="testuser", username="admin-user", redirect=""
+    ):
+        # HACK: don't use panels because late_javascripts() messes up the twill browser and it
+        # can't find form fields (and hence user can't be logged in).
+        params = dict(cntrller=cntrller, use_panels=False)
+        self._visit_url("/user/create", params)
+        self._page.locator("#email_input").fill(email)
+        self._page.locator("#password_input").fill(password)
+        self._page.locator("#password_check_input").fill(password)
+        self._page.locator("#name_input").fill(username)
+        self._page.locator("#send").click()
+        previously_created = False
+        username_taken = False
+        invalid_username = False
+        try:
+            self._check_page_for_string("Created new user account")
+        except AssertionError:
+            try:
+                # May have created the account in a previous test run...
+                self._check_page_for_string(f"User with email '{email}' already exists.")
+                previously_created = True
+            except AssertionError:
+                try:
+                    self._check_page_for_string("Public name is taken; please choose another")
+                    username_taken = True
+                except AssertionError:
+                    # Note that we're only checking if the usr name is >< 4 chars here...
+                    try:
+                        self._check_page_for_string("Public name must be at least 4 characters in length")
+                        invalid_username = True
+                    except AssertionError:
+                        pass
+        return previously_created, username_taken, invalid_username
+
+    def showforms(self) -> Locator:
+        """Shows form, helpful for debugging new tests"""
+        return self._page.locator("form")
+
+    def _submit_form(self, form_no=-1, button="runtool_btn", form=None, **kwd):
+        """Populates and submits a form from the keyword arguments."""
+        # An HTMLForm contains a sequence of Controls.  Supported control classes are:
+        # TextControl, FileControl, ListControl, RadioControl, CheckboxControl, SelectControl,
+        # SubmitControl, ImageControl
+        if form is None:
+            try:
+                form = self.showforms().nth(form_no)
+            except IndexError:
+                raise ValueError("No form to submit found")
+        controls = {c.name: c for c in form.inputs}
+        form_name = form.get("name")
+        for control_name, control_value in kwd.items():
+            if control_name not in controls:
+                continue  # these cannot be handled safely - cause the test to barf out
+            if not isinstance(control_value, list):
+                control_value = [str(control_value)]
+            control = controls[control_name]
+            control_type = getattr(control, "type", None)
+            if control_type in (
+                "text",
+                "textfield",
+                "submit",
+                "password",
+                "TextareaElement",
+                "checkbox",
+                "radio",
+                None,
+            ):
+                for cv in control_value:
+                    tc.fv(form_name, control.name, cv)
+            else:
+                # Add conditions for other control types here when necessary.
+                pass
+        tc.submit(button)
+
+    def _create_category(self, name: str, description: str):
+        if not self.populator.has_category_with_name(name):
+            self.populator.new_category(name, description)
diff --git a/lib/tool_shed/test/playwright/test_0000_basic_repository_features.py b/lib/tool_shed/test/playwright/test_0000_basic_repository_features.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..cd6a9e272c0d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/tool_shed/test/playwright/test_0000_basic_repository_features.py
@@ -0,0 +1,37 @@
+from tool_shed.test.base.twilltestcase import common
+from ._framework import ShedPlaywrightTestCase
+
+
+class TestBasicRepositoryFeatures(ShedPlaywrightTestCase):
+    def test_0000_initiate_users(self):
+        self._login(email=common.test_user_1_email, username=common.test_user_1_name)
+        test_user_1 = self.test_db_util.get_user(common.test_user_1_email)
+        assert (
+            test_user_1 is not None
+        ), f"Problem retrieving user with email {common.test_user_1_email} from the database"
+        self.test_db_util.get_private_role(test_user_1)
+        self._login(email=common.test_user_2_email, username=common.test_user_2_name)
+        test_user_2 = self.test_db_util.get_user(common.test_user_2_email)
+        assert (
+            test_user_2 is not None
+        ), f"Problem retrieving user with email {common.test_user_2_email} from the database"
+        self.test_db_util.get_private_role(test_user_2)
+        self._login(email=common.admin_email, username=common.admin_username)
+        admin_user = self.test_db_util.get_user(common.admin_email)
+        assert admin_user is not None, f"Problem retrieving user with email {common.admin_email} from the database"
+        self.test_db_util.get_private_role(admin_user)
+
+    def test_0005_create_repository_without_categories(self):
+        """Verify that a repository cannot be created unless at least one category has been defined."""
+        strings_displayed = ["No categories have been configured in this instance of the Galaxy Tool Shed"]
+        self._visit_url("/repository/create_repository")
+        self._check_for_strings(strings_displayed=strings_displayed, strings_not_displayed=[])
+
+    def test_0010_create_categories(self):
+        """Create categories for this test suite"""
+        self._create_category(
+            name="Test 0000 Basic Repository Features 1", description="Test 0000 Basic Repository Features 1"
+        )
+        self._create_category(
+            name="Test 0000 Basic Repository Features 2", description="Test 0000 Basic Repository Features 2"
+        )
diff --git a/pyproject.toml b/pyproject.toml
index bb32576e402d..698ab66a5883 100644
--- a/pyproject.toml
+++ b/pyproject.toml
@@ -134,6 +134,7 @@ pytest-html = "*"
 python-irodsclient = "!=1.1.2"  # https://github.com/irods/python-irodsclient/issues/356
 pytest-json-report = "*"
 pytest-mock = "*"
+pytest-playwright = "*"
 pytest-postgresql = "!=3.0.0"  # https://github.com/ClearcodeHQ/pytest-postgresql/issues/426
 pytest-shard = "*"
 recommonmark = "*"