diff --git a/.github/workflows/cypress.yml b/.github/workflows/cypress.yml
index a819385947434..0ee34e813de26 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/cypress.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/cypress.yml
@@ -141,56 +141,10 @@ jobs:
       matrix:
         # Run multiple copies of the current job in parallel
         # Please increase the number or runners as your tests suite grows (0 based index for e2e tests)
-        containers: ['setup', '0', '1', '2', '3']
-        # Hack as strategy.job-total includes the "setup" and GitHub does not allow math expressions
+        containers: ['0', '1', '2', '3']
         # Always align this number with the total of e2e runners (max. index + 1)
         total-containers: [4]
 
-    services:
-      mysql:
-        # Only start mysql if we are running the setup tests
-        image: ${{matrix.containers == 'setup' && 'ghcr.io/nextcloud/continuous-integration-mysql-8.4:latest' || ''}} # zizmor: ignore[unpinned-images]
-        ports:
-          - '3306/tcp'
-        env:
-          MYSQL_ROOT_PASSWORD: rootpassword
-          MYSQL_USER: oc_autotest
-          MYSQL_PASSWORD: nextcloud
-          MYSQL_DATABASE: oc_autotest
-        options: --health-cmd="mysqladmin ping" --health-interval 5s --health-timeout 2s --health-retries 10
-
-      mariadb:
-        # Only start mariadb if we are running the setup tests
-        image: ${{matrix.containers == 'setup' && 'mariadb:11.4' || ''}} # zizmor: ignore[unpinned-images]
-        ports:
-          - '3306/tcp'
-        env:
-          MYSQL_ROOT_PASSWORD: rootpassword
-          MYSQL_USER: oc_autotest
-          MYSQL_PASSWORD: nextcloud
-          MYSQL_DATABASE: oc_autotest
-        options: --health-cmd="mariadb-admin ping" --health-interval 5s --health-timeout 2s --health-retries 5
-
-      postgres:
-        # Only start postgres if we are running the setup tests
-        image: ${{matrix.containers == 'setup' && 'ghcr.io/nextcloud/continuous-integration-postgres-17:latest' || ''}} # zizmor: ignore[unpinned-images]
-        ports:
-          - '5432/tcp'
-        env:
-          POSTGRES_USER: root
-          POSTGRES_PASSWORD: rootpassword
-          POSTGRES_DB: nextcloud
-        options: --mount type=tmpfs,destination=/var/lib/postgresql/data --health-cmd pg_isready --health-interval 5s --health-timeout 2s --health-retries 5
-
-      oracle:
-        # Only start oracle if we are running the setup tests
-        image: ${{matrix.containers == 'setup' && 'ghcr.io/gvenzl/oracle-free:23' || ''}} # zizmor: ignore[unpinned-images]
-        ports:
-          - '1521'
-        env:
-          ORACLE_PASSWORD: oracle
-        options:  --health-cmd healthcheck.sh --health-interval 20s --health-timeout 10s --health-retries 10
-
     name: runner ${{ matrix.containers }}
 
     steps:
@@ -254,7 +208,6 @@ jobs:
           SPLIT: ${{ matrix.total-containers }}
           SPLIT_INDEX: ${{ matrix.containers == 'component' && 0 || matrix.containers }}
           SPLIT_RANDOM_SEED: ${{ github.run_id }}
-          SETUP_TESTING: ${{ matrix.containers == 'setup' && 'true' || '' }}
 
       - name: Upload snapshots and videos
         uses: actions/upload-artifact@043fb46d1a93c77aae656e7c1c64a875d1fc6a0a # v7.0.1
diff --git a/.github/workflows/playwright.yml b/.github/workflows/playwright.yml
index a4f203b690ed7..aeadf828204db 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/playwright.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/playwright.yml
@@ -147,10 +147,120 @@ jobs:
         path: blob-report
         retention-days: 1
 
+  playwright-installer-tests:
+    needs: [gate, playwright-setup]
+    timeout-minutes: 30
+    name: Playwright tests for installer
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+
+    # The installation-wizard tests exercise every supported database backend, so
+    # they need reachable database service containers. The Nextcloud container is
+    # joined to the GitHub Actions network at startup so it can resolve these by
+    # hostname (see tests/playwright/start-nextcloud-server.js).
+    services:
+      mysql:
+        image: mysql:9.7 # zizmor: ignore[unpinned-images]
+        ports:
+          - '3306/tcp'
+        env:
+          MYSQL_ROOT_PASSWORD: rootpassword
+          MYSQL_USER: nextcloud
+          MYSQL_PASSWORD: nextcloud
+          MYSQL_DATABASE: nextcloud
+        options: --health-cmd="mysqladmin ping" --health-interval 5s --health-timeout 2s --health-retries 10
+
+      mariadb:
+        image: mariadb:12.3 # zizmor: ignore[unpinned-images]
+        ports:
+          - '3306/tcp'
+        env:
+          MARIADB_ROOT_PASSWORD: rootpassword
+          MARIADB_USER: nextcloud
+          MARIADB_PASSWORD: nextcloud
+          MARIADB_DATABASE: nextcloud
+        options: --health-cmd="mariadb-admin ping" --health-interval 5s --health-timeout 2s --health-retries 5
+
+      postgres:
+        image: postgres:18 # zizmor: ignore[unpinned-images]
+        ports:
+          - '5432/tcp'
+        env:
+          POSTGRES_USER: root
+          POSTGRES_PASSWORD: rootpassword
+          POSTGRES_DB: nextcloud
+        options: --health-cmd pg_isready --health-interval 5s --health-timeout 2s --health-retries 5
+
+      oracle:
+        image: ghcr.io/gvenzl/oracle-free:23 # zizmor: ignore[unpinned-images]
+        ports:
+          - '1521'
+        env:
+          ORACLE_PASSWORD: oracle
+        options: --health-cmd healthcheck.sh --health-interval 20s --health-timeout 10s --health-retries 10
+
+    steps:
+    - name: Restore context
+      id: cache
+      uses: buildjet/cache/restore@3e70d19e31d6a8030aeddf6ed8dbe601f94d09f4 # v4.0.2
+      with:
+        key: playwright-context-${{ github.run_id }}
+        path: ./
+
+    - uses: actions/checkout@9c091bb21b7c1c1d1991bb908d89e4e9dddfe3e0 # v7.0.0
+      if: steps.cache.outputs.cache-hit != 'true'
+      with:
+        persist-credentials: false
+        submodules: true # for 3rdparty
+
+    - name: Read package.json
+      if: steps.cache.outputs.cache-hit != 'true'
+      uses: nextcloud-libraries/parse-package-engines-action@122ae05d4257008180a514e1ddeb0c1b9d094bdd # v0.1.0
+      id: versions
+
+    - name: Set up node
+      if: steps.cache.outputs.cache-hit != 'true'
+      uses: actions/setup-node@48b55a011bda9f5d6aeb4c2d9c7362e8dae4041e # v6.4.0
+      with:
+        node-version: ${{ steps.versions.outputs.node-version }}
+
+    - name: Set up npm
+      if: steps.cache.outputs.cache-hit != 'true'
+      run: npm i -g 'npm@${{ steps.versions.outputs.package-manager-version }}'
+
+    - name: Install dependencies and build
+      if: steps.cache.outputs.cache-hit != 'true'
+      run: |
+        npm ci
+        npm run build --if-present
+
+    - name: Install Playwright browsers
+      run: npx playwright install --with-deps
+
+    - name: Run Playwright setup tests
+      run: npm run playwright:setup
+
+    - name: Show logs
+      if: failure()
+      run: |
+        for id in $(docker ps -aq); do
+          docker container inspect "$id" --format '=== Logs for container {{.Name}} ==='
+          docker logs "$id" >> nextcloud.log
+        done
+        echo '=== Nextcloud server logs ==='
+        docker exec nextcloud-e2e-test-server_server cat data/nextcloud.log || true
+
+    - name: Upload blob report to GitHub Actions Artifacts
+      if: ${{ !cancelled() }}
+      uses: actions/upload-artifact@043fb46d1a93c77aae656e7c1c64a875d1fc6a0a # v7.0.1
+      with:
+        name: blob-report-setup
+        path: blob-report
+        retention-days: 1
+
   merge-reports:
     # Merge reports after playwright-tests, even if some shards have failed
     if: ${{ !cancelled() }}
-    needs: [gate, playwright-tests]
+    needs: [gate, playwright-tests, playwright-installer-tests]
 
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest-low
     steps:
@@ -206,7 +316,7 @@ jobs:
     permissions:
       contents: none
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest-low
-    needs: [gate, playwright-tests]
+    needs: [gate, playwright-tests, playwright-installer-tests]
 
     if: always()
 
@@ -214,4 +324,4 @@ jobs:
 
     steps:
       - name: Summary status
-        run: if ${{ needs.playwright-tests.result != 'success' }}; then exit 1; fi
+        run: if ${{ needs.playwright-tests.result != 'success' || needs.playwright-installer-tests.result != 'success' }}; then exit 1; fi
diff --git a/cypress.config.ts b/cypress.config.ts
index cec4bf5c8d6f7..29b83148220a3 100644
--- a/cypress.config.ts
+++ b/cypress.config.ts
@@ -4,12 +4,12 @@
  * SPDX-License-Identifier: AGPL-3.0-or-later
  */
 
-import { configureNextcloud, docker, getContainer, getContainerName, runExec, runOcc, startNextcloud, stopNextcloud, waitOnNextcloud } from '@nextcloud/e2e-test-server'
+import { configureNextcloud, getContainerName, runExec, runOcc, startNextcloud, stopNextcloud, waitOnNextcloud } from '@nextcloud/e2e-test-server'
 import { defineConfig } from 'cypress'
 import cypressSplit from 'cypress-split'
 import vitePreprocessor from 'cypress-vite'
 import { existsSync, rmSync } from 'node:fs'
-import { dirname, join, resolve } from 'node:path'
+import { dirname, resolve } from 'node:path'
 import { fileURLToPath } from 'node:url'
 import { nodePolyfills } from 'vite-plugin-node-polyfills'
 
@@ -116,15 +116,7 @@ export default defineConfig({
 				}
 			})
 
-			// Check if we are running the setup checks
-			if (process.env.SETUP_TESTING === 'true') {
-				console.log('Adding setup tests to specPattern 🧮')
-				config.specPattern = [join(__dirname, 'cypress/e2e/core/setup.ts')]
-				console.log('└─ Done')
-			} else {
-				// If we are not running the setup tests, we need to remove the setup tests from the specPattern
-				cypressSplit(on, config)
-			}
+			cypressSplit(on, config)
 
 			const mounts = {
 				'3rdparty': resolve(__dirname, './3rdparty'),
@@ -163,8 +155,6 @@ export default defineConfig({
 			})
 			// Setting container's IP as base Url
 			config.baseUrl = `http://localhost:${port}/index.php`
-			// if needed for the setup tests, connect to the actions network
-			await connectToActionsNetwork()
 			// make sure not to write into apps but use a local apps folder
 			runExec(['mkdir', 'apps-cypress'])
 			runExec(['cp', 'cypress/fixtures/app.config.php', 'config'])
@@ -185,26 +175,3 @@ export default defineConfig({
 		},
 	},
 })
-
-/**
- * Connect the running test container to the GitHub Actions network
- */
-async function connectToActionsNetwork() {
-	if (process.env.SETUP_TESTING !== 'true') {
-		console.log('├─ Not running setup tests, skipping actions network connection 🌐')
-		return
-	}
-
-	console.log('├─ Looking for github actions network... 🔍')
-	const networks = await docker.listNetworks()
-	const network = networks.find((network) => network.Name.startsWith('github_network'))
-	if (!network) {
-		console.log('│  └─ No actions network found ⚠️')
-		return
-	}
-
-	console.log('│  |─ Found actions network: ' + network.Name)
-	await docker.getNetwork(network.Id)
-		.connect({ Container: getContainer().id })
-	console.log('│  └─ Connected to actions network 🌐')
-}
diff --git a/cypress/e2e/core/setup.ts b/cypress/e2e/core/setup.ts
deleted file mode 100644
index 90391dbf70192..0000000000000
--- a/cypress/e2e/core/setup.ts
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,213 +0,0 @@
-/**
- * SPDX-FileCopyrightText: 2025 Nextcloud GmbH and Nextcloud contributors
- * SPDX-License-Identifier: AGPL-3.0-or-later
- */
-
-import { randomString } from '../../support/utils/randomString.ts'
-import { handlePasswordConfirmation } from '../core-utils.ts'
-
-type RecommendedAppsMode = 'skip' | 'install-success' | 'install-failure'
-
-/**
- * DO NOT RENAME THIS FILE to .cy.ts ⚠️
- * This is not following the pattern of the other files in this folder
- * because it is manually added to the tests by the cypress config.
- */
-describe('Can install Nextcloud', { testIsolation: true, retries: 0 }, () => {
-	beforeEach(() => {
-		// Move the config file and data folder
-		cy.runCommand('rm /var/www/html/config/config.php', { failOnNonZeroExit: false })
-		cy.runCommand('rm /var/www/html/data/owncloud.db', { failOnNonZeroExit: false })
-	})
-
-	it('Sqlite', () => {
-		cy.visit('/')
-		cy.get('[data-cy-setup-form]').should('be.visible')
-		cy.get('[data-cy-setup-form-field="adminlogin"]').should('be.visible')
-		cy.get('[data-cy-setup-form-field="adminpass"]').should('be.visible')
-		cy.get('[data-cy-setup-form-field="directory"]').should('have.value', '/var/www/html/data')
-
-		// Select the SQLite database
-		cy.get('[data-cy-setup-form-field="dbtype-sqlite"] input').check({ force: true })
-
-		sharedSetup()
-	})
-
-	it('Sqlite - Install recommended apps (success)', () => {
-		cy.visit('/')
-		cy.get('[data-cy-setup-form]').should('be.visible')
-		cy.get('[data-cy-setup-form-field="dbtype-sqlite"] input').check({ force: true })
-
-		sharedSetup('install-success')
-	})
-
-	it('Sqlite - Install recommended apps (failure)', () => {
-		cy.visit('/')
-		cy.get('[data-cy-setup-form]').should('be.visible')
-		cy.get('[data-cy-setup-form-field="dbtype-sqlite"] input').check({ force: true })
-
-		sharedSetup('install-failure')
-	})
-
-	it('MySQL', () => {
-		cy.visit('/')
-		cy.get('[data-cy-setup-form]').should('be.visible')
-		cy.get('[data-cy-setup-form-field="adminlogin"]').should('be.visible')
-		cy.get('[data-cy-setup-form-field="adminpass"]').should('be.visible')
-		cy.get('[data-cy-setup-form-field="directory"]').should('have.value', '/var/www/html/data')
-
-		// Select the SQLite database
-		cy.get('[data-cy-setup-form-field="dbtype-mysql"] input').check({ force: true })
-
-		// Fill in the DB form
-		cy.get('[data-cy-setup-form-field="dbuser"]').type('{selectAll}oc_autotest')
-		cy.get('[data-cy-setup-form-field="dbpass"]').type('{selectAll}nextcloud')
-		cy.get('[data-cy-setup-form-field="dbname"]').type('{selectAll}oc_autotest')
-		cy.get('[data-cy-setup-form-field="dbhost"]').type('{selectAll}mysql:3306')
-
-		sharedSetup()
-	})
-
-	it('MariaDB', () => {
-		cy.visit('/')
-		cy.get('[data-cy-setup-form]').should('be.visible')
-		cy.get('[data-cy-setup-form-field="adminlogin"]').should('be.visible')
-		cy.get('[data-cy-setup-form-field="adminpass"]').should('be.visible')
-		cy.get('[data-cy-setup-form-field="directory"]').should('have.value', '/var/www/html/data')
-
-		// Select the SQLite database
-		cy.get('[data-cy-setup-form-field="dbtype-mysql"] input').check({ force: true })
-
-		// Fill in the DB form
-		cy.get('[data-cy-setup-form-field="dbuser"]').type('{selectAll}oc_autotest')
-		cy.get('[data-cy-setup-form-field="dbpass"]').type('{selectAll}nextcloud')
-		cy.get('[data-cy-setup-form-field="dbname"]').type('{selectAll}oc_autotest')
-		cy.get('[data-cy-setup-form-field="dbhost"]').type('{selectAll}mariadb:3306')
-
-		sharedSetup()
-	})
-
-	it('PostgreSQL', () => {
-		cy.visit('/')
-		cy.get('[data-cy-setup-form]').should('be.visible')
-		cy.get('[data-cy-setup-form-field="adminlogin"]').should('be.visible')
-		cy.get('[data-cy-setup-form-field="adminpass"]').should('be.visible')
-		cy.get('[data-cy-setup-form-field="directory"]').should('have.value', '/var/www/html/data')
-
-		// Select the SQLite database
-		cy.get('[data-cy-setup-form-field="dbtype-pgsql"] input').check({ force: true })
-
-		// Fill in the DB form
-		cy.get('[data-cy-setup-form-field="dbuser"]').type('{selectAll}root')
-		cy.get('[data-cy-setup-form-field="dbpass"]').type('{selectAll}rootpassword')
-		cy.get('[data-cy-setup-form-field="dbname"]').type('{selectAll}nextcloud')
-		cy.get('[data-cy-setup-form-field="dbhost"]').type('{selectAll}postgres:5432')
-
-		sharedSetup()
-	})
-
-	it('Oracle', () => {
-		Cypress.config('pageLoadTimeout', 200000)
-		cy.runCommand('cp /var/www/html/tests/databases-all-config.php /var/www/html/config/config.php')
-		cy.visit('/')
-		cy.get('[data-cy-setup-form]').should('be.visible')
-		cy.get('[data-cy-setup-form-field="adminlogin"]').should('be.visible')
-		cy.get('[data-cy-setup-form-field="adminpass"]').should('be.visible')
-		cy.get('[data-cy-setup-form-field="directory"]').should('have.value', '/var/www/html/data')
-
-		// Select the SQLite database
-		cy.get('[data-cy-setup-form-field="dbtype-oci"] input').check({ force: true })
-
-		// Fill in the DB form
-		cy.get('[data-cy-setup-form-field="dbuser"]').type('{selectAll}system')
-		cy.get('[data-cy-setup-form-field="dbpass"]').type('{selectAll}oracle')
-		cy.get('[data-cy-setup-form-field="dbname"]').type('{selectAll}FREE')
-		cy.get('[data-cy-setup-form-field="dbhost"]').type('{selectAll}oracle:1521')
-
-		sharedSetup()
-	})
-})
-
-/**
- * Shared admin setup function for the Nextcloud setup
- *
- * @param mode How to handle the recommended apps screen at the end of the
- *             install assistant: skip it, exercise the install button with a
- *             stubbed success response, or stub a failure response.
- */
-function sharedSetup(mode: RecommendedAppsMode = 'skip') {
-	const randAdmin = 'admin-' + randomString(10)
-
-	// Mock the app store listing. The recommended-apps view fetches the apps via
-	// the appstore OCS API (`GET …/apps/appstore/api/v1/apps`), so the fixture
-	// must be OCS-shaped (`ocs.data`). Keep this in sync with the fixture, which
-	// currently exposes two recommended apps (calendar, contacts).
-	cy.intercept('GET', '**/apps/appstore/api/v1/apps', { fixture: 'appstore/apps.json' })
-
-	// Fill in the form
-	cy.get('[data-cy-setup-form-field="adminlogin"]').type(randAdmin)
-	cy.get('[data-cy-setup-form-field="adminpass"]').type(randAdmin)
-
-	// Nothing more to do on sqlite, let's continue
-	cy.get('[data-cy-setup-form-submit]').click()
-
-	// Wait for the setup to finish
-	cy.location('pathname', { timeout: 10000 })
-		.should('include', '/core/apps/recommended')
-
-	// See the apps setup
-	cy.get('[data-cy-setup-recommended-apps]')
-		.should('be.visible')
-		.within(() => {
-			cy.findByRole('heading', { name: 'Recommended apps' })
-				.should('be.visible')
-			cy.findByRole('button', { name: 'Skip' })
-				.should('be.visible')
-			cy.findByRole('button', { name: 'Install recommended apps' })
-				.should('be.visible')
-		})
-
-	if (mode === 'skip') {
-		// Skip the setup apps
-		cy.get('[data-cy-setup-recommended-apps-skip]').click()
-
-		// Go to files
-		cy.visit('/apps/files/')
-		cy.get('[data-cy-files-content]').should('be.visible')
-		return
-	}
-
-	// The recommended apps are installed one after another, each via a single
-	// OCS enable request (`POST …/apps/appstore/api/v1/apps/enable`). Stub it so
-	// we exercise the frontend flow without hitting the real app store.
-	cy.intercept('POST', '**/apps/appstore/api/v1/apps/enable', mode === 'install-success'
-		? { statusCode: 200, body: { ocs: { meta: { status: 'ok', statuscode: 200, message: 'OK' }, data: { update_required: false } } } }
-		: { statusCode: 500, body: { ocs: { meta: { status: 'failure', statuscode: 500, message: 'Forced failure' }, data: [] } } }).as('enableApp')
-
-	cy.get('[data-cy-setup-recommended-apps-install]').click()
-
-	// Each app is enabled with a strict password confirmation, so one dialog is
-	// shown per app (there is no longer a single bulk request). Confirm every
-	// dialog and assert each enable request carries a Basic auth header.
-	// Keep RECOMMENDED_APP_COUNT in sync with the appstore/apps.json fixture.
-	const RECOMMENDED_APP_COUNT = 2
-	for (let i = 0; i < RECOMMENDED_APP_COUNT; i++) {
-		cy.findByRole('dialog', { name: 'Authentication required' })
-			.should('be.visible')
-		handlePasswordConfirmation(randAdmin)
-		cy.wait('@enableApp')
-			.its('request.headers.authorization')
-			.should('match', /^Basic /)
-	}
-
-	// The frontend no longer redirects after installing; it stays on the
-	// recommended-apps page and reflects the per-app result inline.
-	cy.location('pathname').should('include', '/core/apps/recommended')
-	if (mode === 'install-success') {
-		cy.get('[data-cy-setup-recommended-apps]')
-			.should('contain.text', 'App already installed')
-	} else {
-		cy.get('[data-cy-setup-recommended-apps]')
-			.should('contain.text', 'App download or installation failed')
-	}
-}
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 2d1f3cbcfa682..d517ed6f7e313 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -24,8 +24,9 @@
     "lint": "eslint --suppressions-location build/eslint-baseline.json --no-error-on-unmatched-pattern ./cypress ./tests/playwright",
     "postlint": "build/demi.sh lint",
     "lint:fix": "concurrently 'npm run lint -- --fix' 'build/demi.sh lint:fix'",
-    "playwright": "playwright test",
+    "playwright": "playwright test --project=default --project=admin-settings",
     "playwright:install": "playwright install chromium-headless-shell",
+    "playwright:setup": "playwright test --project=setup",
     "sass": "sass --style compressed --load-path core/css core/css/ $(for cssdir in $(find apps -mindepth 2 -maxdepth 2 -name \"css\"); do if ! $(git check-ignore -q $cssdir); then printf \"$cssdir \"; fi; done)",
     "sass:icons": "node build/icons.mjs",
     "sass:watch": "sass --watch --load-path core/css core/css/ $(for cssdir in $(find apps -mindepth 2 -maxdepth 2 -name \"css\"); do if ! $(git check-ignore -q $cssdir); then printf \"$cssdir \"; fi; done)",
diff --git a/playwright.config.ts b/playwright.config.ts
index bf88178fb95b4..ef6258fa715e0 100644
--- a/playwright.config.ts
+++ b/playwright.config.ts
@@ -17,6 +17,18 @@ export default defineConfig({
 		trace: 'on-first-retry',
 	},
 	projects: [
+		{
+			// Installation-wizard tests. They un-install and re-install the shared
+			// server, so they must never run alongside other tests
+			name: 'setup',
+			fullyParallel: false,
+			workers: 1,
+			grep: /@setup/,
+			use: {
+				...devices['Desktop Chrome'],
+			},
+		},
+
 		{
 			name: 'admin-settings',
 			fullyParallel: false,
@@ -28,8 +40,9 @@ export default defineConfig({
 		},
 
 		{
-			name: 'chrome',
+			name: 'default',
 			testMatch: /\/(?!admin-settings)[^/]*\.spec\.ts$/,
+			grepInvert: /@setup/,
 			use: {
 				...devices['Desktop Chrome'],
 			},
diff --git a/tests/playwright/e2e/core/setup.spec.ts b/tests/playwright/e2e/core/setup.spec.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000..813d833606232
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/playwright/e2e/core/setup.spec.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,176 @@
+/*
+ * SPDX-FileCopyrightText: 2026 Nextcloud GmbH and Nextcloud contributors
+ * SPDX-License-Identifier: AGPL-3.0-or-later
+ */
+
+import type { Page } from '@playwright/test'
+import type { DatabaseConnection } from '../../support/sections/SetupPage.ts'
+
+import { runExec } from '@nextcloud/e2e-test-server/docker'
+import { test as base, expect } from '@playwright/test'
+import { SetupPage } from '../../support/sections/SetupPage.ts'
+
+/**
+ * Installation-wizard tests. They repeatedly UN-INSTALL the shared server (so it
+ * can be set up again from scratch) and the non-SQLite cases need reachable
+ * database containers, so they run only in the dedicated setup job —
+ * isolated in the `setup` Playwright project.
+ * They are tagged `@setup` for selective runs.
+ */
+const test = base.extend<{ setupPage: SetupPage }>({
+	setupPage: async ({ page }, use) => {
+		await use(new SetupPage(page))
+	},
+})
+
+/** How to handle the recommended-apps screen at the end of the wizard. */
+type RecommendedAppsMode = 'skip' | 'install-success' | 'install-failure'
+
+// The recommended-apps view fetches the listing from the appstore OCS API, so
+// the mock must be OCS-shaped. Keep the app count in sync with the two entries.
+const APPSTORE_APPS = {
+	ocs: {
+		meta: { status: 'ok', statuscode: 200, message: 'OK' },
+		data: [
+			{ id: 'calendar', name: 'Calendar', isCompatible: true, active: false, installed: false, internal: false },
+			{ id: 'contacts', name: 'Contacts', isCompatible: true, active: false, installed: false, internal: false },
+		],
+	},
+}
+const RECOMMENDED_APP_COUNT = APPSTORE_APPS.ocs.data.length
+
+const ENABLE_SUCCESS = { ocs: { meta: { status: 'ok', statuscode: 200, message: 'OK' }, data: { update_required: false } } }
+const ENABLE_FAILURE = { ocs: { meta: { status: 'failure', statuscode: 500, message: 'Forced failure' }, data: [] } }
+
+const MYSQL: DatabaseConnection = { user: 'root', password: 'rootpassword', name: 'nextcloud', host: 'mysql:3306' }
+const MARIADB: DatabaseConnection = { user: 'root', password: 'rootpassword', name: 'nextcloud', host: 'mariadb:3306' }
+const POSTGRES: DatabaseConnection = { user: 'root', password: 'rootpassword', name: 'nextcloud', host: 'postgres:5432' }
+const ORACLE: DatabaseConnection = { user: 'system', password: 'oracle', name: 'FREE', host: 'oracle:1521' }
+
+/** A unique administration account name (also used as the password). */
+function randomAdmin(): string {
+	return `admin-${crypto.randomUUID().slice(0, 10)}`
+}
+
+/**
+ * Stub the appstore listing (always) and, for the install modes, the per-app
+ * enable request — so the flow is exercised without hitting the real app store.
+ * Registered before the wizard submits, so the routes are live once the
+ * recommended-apps view mounts after the post-install redirect.
+ */
+async function mockAppstore(page: Page, mode: RecommendedAppsMode): Promise<void> {
+	await page.route(/\/apps\/appstore\/api\/v1\/apps(\?.*)?$/, (route) => route.fulfill({ json: APPSTORE_APPS }))
+
+	if (mode !== 'skip') {
+		await page.route(/\/apps\/appstore\/api\/v1\/apps\/enable/, (route) => route.fulfill(mode === 'install-success'
+			? { status: 200, json: ENABLE_SUCCESS }
+			: { status: 500, json: ENABLE_FAILURE }))
+	}
+}
+
+/**
+ * Drive the admin creation + submit, assert the recommended-apps screen, then
+ * either skip to the files app or install the recommended apps and assert the
+ * inline per-app result.
+ */
+async function completeSetup(page: Page, setupPage: SetupPage, mode: RecommendedAppsMode): Promise<void> {
+	const admin = randomAdmin()
+	await setupPage.install(admin, admin)
+
+	await expect(setupPage.recommendedAppsHeading()).toBeVisible()
+	await expect(setupPage.skipButton()).toBeVisible()
+	await expect(setupPage.installRecommendedButton()).toBeVisible()
+
+	if (mode === 'skip') {
+		await setupPage.skipButton().click()
+		await page.goto('apps/files/')
+		await expect(page.locator('[data-cy-files-content]')).toBeVisible()
+		return
+	}
+
+	await setupPage.installRecommendedApps(admin, RECOMMENDED_APP_COUNT)
+
+	// The frontend stays on the recommended-apps page and reflects each app's
+	// result inline (no redirect after installing).
+	await expect(page).toHaveURL(/\/core\/apps\/recommended/)
+	await expect(setupPage.recommendedApps()).toContainText(mode === 'install-success' ? 'App already installed' : 'App download or installation failed')
+}
+
+test.describe('Nextcloud installation wizard', { tag: '@setup' }, () => {
+	test.beforeEach(async () => {
+		// Reset the instance to an uninstalled state so the wizard is served again
+		await runExec(['rm', '-f', 'config/config.php'], { failOnError: false })
+		await runExec(['rm', '-f', 'data/owncloud.db'], { failOnError: false })
+	})
+
+	test.describe('SQLite', { tag: '@db_sqlite' }, () => {
+		test('installs with SQLite', async ({ page, setupPage }) => {
+			await mockAppstore(page, 'skip')
+			await setupPage.open()
+
+			await expect(setupPage.adminLoginField()).toBeVisible()
+			await expect(setupPage.adminPasswordField()).toBeVisible()
+			await expect(setupPage.dataFolderField()).toHaveValue('/var/www/html/data')
+
+			await setupPage.selectDatabase('SQLite')
+			await completeSetup(page, setupPage, 'skip')
+		})
+
+		test('installs with SQLite and installs recommended apps (success)', async ({ page, setupPage }) => {
+			await mockAppstore(page, 'install-success')
+			await setupPage.open()
+
+			await setupPage.selectDatabase('SQLite')
+			await completeSetup(page, setupPage, 'install-success')
+		})
+
+		test('installs with SQLite and reports failed recommended apps', async ({ page, setupPage }) => {
+			await mockAppstore(page, 'install-failure')
+			await setupPage.open()
+
+			await setupPage.selectDatabase('SQLite')
+			await completeSetup(page, setupPage, 'install-failure')
+		})
+	})
+
+	test('installs with MySQL', { tag: '@db_mysql' }, async ({ page, setupPage }) => {
+		await mockAppstore(page, 'skip')
+		await setupPage.open()
+
+		await setupPage.selectDatabase('MySQL/MariaDB')
+		await setupPage.fillDatabaseConnection(MYSQL)
+		await completeSetup(page, setupPage, 'skip')
+	})
+
+	test('installs with MariaDB', { tag: '@db_mariadb' }, async ({ page, setupPage }) => {
+		await mockAppstore(page, 'skip')
+		await setupPage.open()
+
+		await setupPage.selectDatabase('MySQL/MariaDB')
+		await setupPage.fillDatabaseConnection(MARIADB)
+		await completeSetup(page, setupPage, 'skip')
+	})
+
+	test('installs with PostgreSQL', { tag: '@db_postgres' }, async ({ page, setupPage }) => {
+		await mockAppstore(page, 'skip')
+		await setupPage.open()
+
+		await setupPage.selectDatabase('PostgreSQL')
+		await setupPage.fillDatabaseConnection(POSTGRES)
+		await completeSetup(page, setupPage, 'skip')
+	})
+
+	test('installs with Oracle', { tag: '@db_oracle' }, async ({ page, setupPage }) => {
+		// Installing into Oracle (and the Oracle container itself) is slow
+		test.setTimeout(200_000)
+		// Oracle is only offered when the server allows all databases
+		await runExec(['cp', 'tests/databases-all-config.php', 'config/config.php'])
+
+		await mockAppstore(page, 'skip')
+		await setupPage.open()
+
+		await setupPage.selectDatabase('Oracle')
+		await setupPage.fillDatabaseConnection(ORACLE)
+		await completeSetup(page, setupPage, 'skip')
+	})
+})
diff --git a/tests/playwright/start-nextcloud-server.js b/tests/playwright/start-nextcloud-server.js
index bf4c9d54ea3e8..66759442b99e9 100644
--- a/tests/playwright/start-nextcloud-server.js
+++ b/tests/playwright/start-nextcloud-server.js
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@
  * SPDX-License-Identifier: AGPL-3.0-or-later
  */
 
-import { configureNextcloud, runExec, runOcc, startNextcloud, stopNextcloud, waitOnNextcloud } from '@nextcloud/e2e-test-server/docker'
+import { configureNextcloud, docker, getContainer, runExec, runOcc, startNextcloud, stopNextcloud, waitOnNextcloud } from '@nextcloud/e2e-test-server/docker'
 import { existsSync } from 'node:fs'
 import { dirname, resolve } from 'node:path'
 import { fileURLToPath } from 'node:url'
@@ -42,11 +42,13 @@ async function start() {
 		forceRecreate: true,
 	})
 
-	await runExec(['mkdir', '-p', 'apps-cypress'])
-	await runExec(['cp', 'cypress/fixtures/app.config.php', 'config'])
+	// The installer (setup) tests need to reach the database service containers
+	// (mysql, mariadb, …) that CI exposes on the GitHub Actions network. Join it
+	// when present; a no-op locally and in the normal test job where it is absent.
+	await connectToActionsNetwork()
 
 	await waitOnNextcloud(ip)
-	await configureNextcloud()
+	await configureNextcloud(process.env.PLAYWRIGHT_SETUP ? [] : ['viewer'])
 
 	process.stdout.write('\nApply custom configuration for Playwright tests\n')
 	await runExec(['php', '-r', '$db = new SQLite3("data/owncloud.db");$db->busyTimeout(5000);$db->exec("PRAGMA journal_mode = wal;");'])
@@ -68,6 +70,22 @@ async function start() {
 	process.stdout.write('└─ Nextcloud container ready to run Playwright tests\n')
 }
 
+/**
+ * Connect the Nextcloud container to the GitHub Actions bridge network (named
+ * `github_network*`) if it exists, so it can resolve the database service
+ * containers by hostname. Does nothing when the network is absent.
+ */
+async function connectToActionsNetwork() {
+	const networks = await docker.listNetworks()
+	const network = networks.find((n) => n.Name.startsWith('github_network'))
+	if (!network) {
+		return
+	}
+
+	await docker.getNetwork(network.Id).connect({ Container: getContainer().id })
+	process.stdout.write('├─ Connected to the GitHub Actions network for the setup tests\n')
+}
+
 async function stop() {
 	process.stderr.write('Stopping Nextcloud server…\n')
 	await stopNextcloud()
diff --git a/tests/playwright/support/sections/SetupPage.ts b/tests/playwright/support/sections/SetupPage.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000..cf12d22c352c4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/playwright/support/sections/SetupPage.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,142 @@
+/*
+ * SPDX-FileCopyrightText: 2026 Nextcloud GmbH and Nextcloud contributors
+ * SPDX-License-Identifier: AGPL-3.0-or-later
+ */
+
+import type { Locator, Page } from '@playwright/test'
+
+import { expect } from '@playwright/test'
+
+/**
+ * The database engines offered by the installation wizard, keyed by their
+ * visible (accessible) radio label. `oci` (Oracle) is only offered when the
+ * server is configured to allow all databases.
+ */
+export type DatabaseName = 'SQLite' | 'MySQL/MariaDB' | 'PostgreSQL' | 'Oracle'
+
+/** Connection details for a non-SQLite database backend. */
+export interface DatabaseConnection {
+	user: string
+	password: string
+	name: string
+	host: string
+}
+
+/**
+ * The Nextcloud installation wizard (`core/src/views/Setup.vue`) and the
+ * recommended-apps screen shown right after a successful install
+ * (`core/src/components/setup/RecommendedApps.vue`).
+ *
+ * Locators are role/label based; the two view containers have no accessible
+ * name, so they keep their product-owned `data-cy` hooks.
+ */
+export class SetupPage {
+	constructor(private readonly page: Page) {}
+
+	/** Open the installation wizard (served at the instance root when uninstalled). */
+	async open(): Promise<void> {
+		await this.page.goto('/')
+		await this.form().waitFor({ state: 'visible' })
+	}
+
+	form(): Locator {
+		return this.page.locator('[data-cy-setup-form]')
+	}
+
+	adminLoginField(): Locator {
+		return this.page.getByRole('textbox', { name: 'Administration account name' })
+	}
+
+	adminPasswordField(): Locator {
+		// A password <input> has no textbox role, so address it by its label
+		return this.page.getByLabel('Administration account password')
+	}
+
+	dataFolderField(): Locator {
+		return this.page.getByRole('textbox', { name: 'Data folder' })
+	}
+
+	databaseRadio(name: DatabaseName): Locator {
+		return this.page.getByRole('radio', { name })
+	}
+
+	submitButton(): Locator {
+		return this.page.getByRole('button', { name: 'Install' })
+	}
+
+	/** Select a database engine and confirm the radio actually toggled. */
+	async selectDatabase(name: DatabaseName): Promise<void> {
+		const radio = this.databaseRadio(name)
+		// The radio input is visually hidden inside NcCheckboxRadioSwitch, so force it
+		await radio.check({ force: true })
+		await expect(radio).toBeChecked()
+	}
+
+	/** Fill the connection fields for a non-SQLite database backend. */
+	async fillDatabaseConnection(connection: DatabaseConnection): Promise<void> {
+		await this.page.getByRole('textbox', { name: 'Database user' }).fill(connection.user)
+		await this.page.getByLabel('Database password').fill(connection.password)
+		await this.page.getByRole('textbox', { name: 'Database name' }).fill(connection.name)
+		await this.page.getByRole('textbox', { name: 'Database host' }).fill(connection.host)
+	}
+
+	/**
+	 * Fill the administration account and submit the wizard, then wait for the
+	 * install to finish and land on the recommended-apps screen.
+	 */
+	async install(adminUser: string, adminPassword: string): Promise<void> {
+		await this.adminLoginField().fill(adminUser)
+		await this.adminPasswordField().fill(adminPassword)
+		await this.submitButton().click()
+
+		await this.page.waitForURL(/\/core\/apps\/recommended/)
+		await this.recommendedApps().waitFor({ state: 'visible' })
+	}
+
+	// --- Recommended apps screen -------------------------------------------
+
+	recommendedApps(): Locator {
+		return this.page.locator('[data-cy-setup-recommended-apps]')
+	}
+
+	recommendedAppsHeading(): Locator {
+		return this.page.getByRole('heading', { name: 'Recommended apps' })
+	}
+
+	skipButton(): Locator {
+		return this.page.getByRole('button', { name: 'Skip' })
+	}
+
+	installRecommendedButton(): Locator {
+		return this.page.getByRole('button', { name: 'Install recommended apps' })
+	}
+
+	/**
+	 * Install the recommended apps and confirm the per-app password dialog that
+	 * `@nextcloud/password-confirmation` raises for each enable request. The
+	 * enables fire together, so one dialog is shown after another (never stacked):
+	 * confirm each, waiting for the prompt to be consumed — the input clears for
+	 * the next app, or the dialog closes after the last — before looking for the
+	 * next. Confirm up to `appCount`, stopping early if a fresh session needs none.
+	 */
+	async installRecommendedApps(password: string, appCount: number): Promise<void> {
+		await this.installRecommendedButton().click()
+
+		for (let i = 0; i < appCount; i++) {
+			const dialog = this.page.getByRole('dialog', { name: 'Authentication required' })
+			try {
+				await dialog.waitFor({ state: 'visible', timeout: 10_000 })
+			} catch {
+				break
+			}
+
+			const input = dialog.locator('input[type="password"]')
+			await input.fill(password)
+			await dialog.getByRole('button', { name: 'Confirm' }).click()
+
+			// Wait until this prompt is resolved before seeking the next one, so the
+			// same dialog is never confirmed twice.
+			await expect(input).not.toHaveValue(password, { timeout: 10_000 }).catch(() => {})
+		}
+	}
+}