diff --git a/ui/litellm-dashboard/e2e_tests/parity/README.md b/ui/litellm-dashboard/e2e_tests/parity/README.md
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..622b50ea079
--- /dev/null
+++ b/ui/litellm-dashboard/e2e_tests/parity/README.md
@@ -0,0 +1,63 @@
+# Phase-1 parity specs
+
+One Playwright spec file per migrated section: `<section>.spec.ts`.
+
+## Conventions
+
+- **Assert on user-observable behavior only:** `getByRole`, `getByText`,
+  `getByLabel`, `getByTestId`. Never assert on DOM selectors that identify the
+  framework (e.g. `.ant-btn`).
+- **Visual snapshots** live in `<section>.spec.ts-snapshots/` next to each
+  spec. `expect(page).toHaveScreenshot()` is the canonical call.
+- **Both old and new UI pass:** specs must pass against the current UI
+  (sanity) before the section is migrated, and against the migrated UI after.
+- **Exception:** when a `QUIRKS.md` entry uses resolution `fix`, the spec
+  captures the corrected behavior; the old-UI sanity check is explicitly
+  skipped (record the skip in `QUIRKS.md`).
+- **Soft cap:** ~30 assertions per spec. If the section genuinely needs more,
+  split into `<section>-a.spec.ts` / `<section>-b.spec.ts`.
+
+## Running
+
+Default project target is the local Next dev server at
+`http://localhost:3000` (started automatically by `webServer` in
+`playwright.config.ts`):
+
+```bash
+npx playwright test --project=parity e2e_tests/parity/<section>.spec.ts
+```
+
+To run parity specs against the proxy instead (e.g. because dev-server auth
+mocking is too brittle for the section), set `PARITY_BASE_URL`:
+
+```bash
+PARITY_BASE_URL=http://localhost:4000 \
+  npx playwright test --project=parity e2e_tests/parity/<section>.spec.ts
+```
+
+When `PARITY_BASE_URL` is set, the dev-server `webServer` hook does not
+start; you are responsible for having the target server running.
+
+## Snapshot baselining
+
+First run per section: create baselines.
+
+```bash
+npx playwright test --project=parity \
+  e2e_tests/parity/<section>.spec.ts --update-snapshots
+```
+
+Subsequent runs (verification): no `--update-snapshots`. Pixel diffs count as
+regressions. Intentional rebaselines are logged in `docs/DEVIATIONS.md`.
+
+## Authentication
+
+Dev-server auth is a known weak spot for phase-1 parity. Options per spec:
+
+1. **Playwright route interception** — stub the `/get/*` endpoints the UI hits
+   during boot (`get/ui_theme_settings`, `get/sso_settings`, etc.) + seed
+   `sessionStorage` with a fake JWT so useAuthorized returns admin.
+2. **Use `PARITY_BASE_URL=http://localhost:4000`** — run against the real
+   proxy with a seeded admin user. Slower but more realistic.
+
+Pick per section depending on how much the section exercises backend calls.
diff --git a/ui/litellm-dashboard/e2e_tests/playwright.config.ts b/ui/litellm-dashboard/e2e_tests/playwright.config.ts
index ec4d3a6ddb0..a2953072edf 100644
--- a/ui/litellm-dashboard/e2e_tests/playwright.config.ts
+++ b/ui/litellm-dashboard/e2e_tests/playwright.config.ts
@@ -2,7 +2,19 @@ import { defineConfig, devices } from "@playwright/test";
 
 /**
  * See https://playwright.dev/docs/test-configuration.
+ *
+ * Two projects:
+ *   - `chromium`: existing full e2e suite against the proxy at :4000.
+ *   - `parity`:   phase-1 shadcn migration parity specs under `./parity/`.
+ *                 Uses a dev-server baseURL (3000) by default but can be
+ *                 overridden via `PARITY_BASE_URL` (e.g. to aim at the
+ *                 proxy at 4000 if dev-server auth mocking proves too
+ *                 brittle). The webServer entry starts `npm run dev`
+ *                 automatically if PARITY_BASE_URL is not set.
  */
+const PARITY_BASE_URL = process.env.PARITY_BASE_URL ?? "http://localhost:3000";
+const PARITY_USES_LOCAL_DEV = !process.env.PARITY_BASE_URL;
+
 export default defineConfig({
   testDir: ".",
   testMatch: ["**/*.spec.ts", "**/*.setup.ts"],
@@ -34,14 +46,45 @@ export default defineConfig({
   projects: [
     {
       name: "chromium",
+      testDir: ".",
+      testIgnore: ["parity/**", "**/*.test.*"],
       use: { ...devices["Desktop Chrome"] },
     },
+    {
+      name: "parity",
+      testDir: "./parity",
+      testMatch: ["**/*.spec.ts"],
+      use: {
+        ...devices["Desktop Chrome"],
+        baseURL: PARITY_BASE_URL,
+        // Lock viewport for stable visual snapshots across environments.
+        viewport: { width: 1440, height: 900 },
+      },
+    },
   ],
 
+  /* Auto-start the Next dev server for parity specs unless PARITY_BASE_URL
+     points elsewhere (e.g. the proxy at :4000 for auth-backed parity runs). */
+  webServer: PARITY_USES_LOCAL_DEV
+    ? {
+        command: "npm run dev",
+        cwd: "..",
+        url: "http://localhost:3000",
+        reuseExistingServer: true,
+        timeout: 120 * 1000,
+      }
+    : undefined,
+
   /* Timeout settings */
   timeout: 3 * 60 * 1000,
   expect: {
     timeout: 10 * 1000,
+    /* Keep visual snapshot diffs tight so real regressions aren't masked. */
+    toHaveScreenshot: {
+      maxDiffPixelRatio: 0.01,
+      animations: "disabled",
+      caret: "hide",
+    },
   },
   globalSetup: require.resolve("./globalSetup"),
 });