test: use gotoChannel when possible

apps/meteor/tests/e2e/README.md

@@ -243,6 +243,26 @@ Do **not** apply when:
 - Suite covers auth, 2FA, or session lifecycle — the browser state is the subject.
 - Suite has more than ~15 tests: the debug cost of shared state outgrows the speed win (see "Big test files should not be `.serial`" above).
 
+### Pattern 3 — navigate to a known room by URL, not by search
+
+When a test already knows the room it needs (a channel created via API, `general`, etc.), open it directly with `poHomeChannel.gotoChannel(name)` instead of `page.goto('/home')` + `navbar.openChat(name)`.
+
+```ts
+// ❌ fragile — three independent things must align before the combobox `fill` resolves
+await page.goto('/home');
+await poHomeChannel.navbar.openChat(targetChannel);
+
+// ✅ deterministic — navigate straight to the room, then wait for it to be ready
+await poHomeChannel.gotoChannel(targetChannel);
+```
+
+Why: searching the navbar couples the navigation to (1) the app shell hydrating, (2) the **search index** having picked up the room — a real lag for a channel created moments earlier via API — and (3) the listbox rendering and the option becoming clickable. Any one stalling makes `searchInput.fill` hang until the test timeout, surfacing as the misleading `Target page, context or browser has been closed`. `gotoChannel` loads `/channel/<name>` and then `waitForChannel()` (main region, heading, message list, `aria-busy` cleared), so it has a proper readiness wait without the search dependency.
+
+Do **not** apply when:
+- The navbar search is the actual subject of the test.
+- Navigating to a **DM** (`/direct/<username>`) or a **discussion** — `gotoChannel` builds a `/channel/` URL only.
+- Reaching a channel the user is **not a member of** — the direct URL hits a different preview/join flow; verify the behavior before switching.
+
 ## API helpers for state seeding
 
 Prefer these helpers in `beforeAll` / `beforeEach` and in setup `test.step`s. All live under `apps/meteor/tests/e2e/utils/`.
@@ -296,8 +316,7 @@ test.describe.serial('Feature X', () => {
         page = await context.newPage();
         poHomeChannel = new HomeChannel(page);
 
-        await page.goto('/home');
-        await poHomeChannel.navbar.openChat(targetChannel);
+        await poHomeChannel.gotoChannel(targetChannel);
     });
 
     test.afterAll(async ({ api }) => {
@@ -332,6 +351,7 @@ Recipe for a single spec. Keep PRs to at most 5 files so reviews stay tractable.
 - `poHomeChannel.content.sendMessage(...)` used inside `beforeEach` or `beforeAll` — that is setup, should be `sendMessage(api, ...)`.
 - Opening meatball menus or modals purely to create a discussion, thread, or DM as a setup step.
 - `test.describe.serial` combined with `beforeEach(async ({ page }) => { await page.goto(...) })` — the context should be shared in `beforeAll`.
+- `page.goto('/home')` + `navbar.openChat(name)` to reach a room the test already knows — use `poHomeChannel.gotoChannel(name)` (see Pattern 3). Searching a just-created channel races the search index and hangs until timeout.
 - New non-serial suites whose tests still each carry >3s of UI setup.
 - Inline `api.post('/im.create', …)` / `api.post('/chat.sendMessage', …)` in a spec instead of extending the helpers in `utils/`.
 

apps/meteor/tests/e2e/embedded-layout.spec.ts

@@ -31,8 +31,7 @@ test.describe('embedded-layout', () => {
 
 	test.describe('Layout elements visibility', () => {
 		test('should hide primary navigation elements in embedded layout', async ({ page }) => {
-			await page.goto('/home');
-			await poHomeChannel.navbar.openChat(targetChannelId);
+			await poHomeChannel.gotoChannel(targetChannelId);
 			await expect(poHomeChannel.roomHeaderToolbar).toBeVisible();
 
 			await page.goto(embeddedLayoutURL(page.url()));
@@ -50,8 +49,7 @@ test.describe('embedded-layout', () => {
 			});
 
 			test('should show room header toolbar as top navbar when setting enabled', async ({ page }) => {
-				await page.goto('/home');
-				await poHomeChannel.navbar.openChat(targetChannelId);
+				await poHomeChannel.gotoChannel(targetChannelId);
 				await page.goto(embeddedLayoutURL(page.url()));
 
 				await expect(poHomeChannel.roomHeaderToolbar).toBeVisible();
@@ -61,8 +59,7 @@ test.describe('embedded-layout', () => {
 
 	test.describe('Channel member functionality', () => {
 		test('should hide join button and enable messaging for members', async ({ page }) => {
-			await page.goto('/home');
-			await poHomeChannel.navbar.openChat(targetChannelId);
+			await poHomeChannel.gotoChannel(targetChannelId);
 			await page.goto(embeddedLayoutURL(page.url()));
 
 			await expect(poHomeChannel.composer.inputMessage).toBeVisible();
@@ -71,8 +68,7 @@ test.describe('embedded-layout', () => {
 		});
 
 		test('should allow sending and receiving messages', async ({ page }) => {
-			await page.goto('/home');
-			await poHomeChannel.navbar.openChat(targetChannelId);
+			await poHomeChannel.gotoChannel(targetChannelId);
 			await page.goto(embeddedLayoutURL(page.url()));
 
 			const testMessage = `Embedded test message ${Date.now()}`;
@@ -81,8 +77,7 @@ test.describe('embedded-layout', () => {
 		});
 
 		test('should preserve message composer functionality', async ({ page }) => {
-			await page.goto('/home');
-			await poHomeChannel.navbar.openChat(targetChannelId);
+			await poHomeChannel.gotoChannel(targetChannelId);
 			await page.goto(embeddedLayoutURL(page.url()));
 
 			await expect(poHomeChannel.composer.inputMessage).toBeVisible();

apps/meteor/tests/e2e/file-upload.spec.ts

@@ -24,8 +24,7 @@ test.describe.serial('file-upload', () => {
 	test.beforeEach(async ({ page }) => {
 		poHomeChannel = new HomeChannel(page);
 
-		await page.goto('/home');
-		await poHomeChannel.navbar.openChat(targetChannel);
+		await poHomeChannel.gotoChannel(targetChannel);
 	});
 
 	test.afterAll(async ({ api }) => {
@@ -132,7 +131,7 @@ test.describe.serial('file-upload', () => {
 
 	test('should upload file in composer after recording video message', async ({ context }) => {
 		await context.grantPermissions(['camera', 'microphone']);
-		await poHomeChannel.navbar.openChat(targetChannel);
+		await poHomeChannel.gotoChannel(targetChannel);
 
 		await test.step('should be able to record a video with text content in composer ', async () => {
 			await poHomeChannel.composer.inputMessage.fill('this is a message with video message');
@@ -235,8 +234,7 @@ test.describe('file-upload-not-member', () => {
 	test.beforeEach(async ({ page }) => {
 		poHomeChannel = new HomeChannel(page);
 
-		await page.goto('/home');
-		await poHomeChannel.navbar.openChat(targetChannel);
+		await poHomeChannel.gotoChannel(targetChannel);
 	});
 
 	test.afterAll(async ({ api }) => {

apps/meteor/tests/e2e/image-upload.spec.ts

@@ -19,8 +19,7 @@ test.describe('image-upload', () => {
 
 	test.beforeEach(async ({ page }) => {
 		poHomeChannel = new HomeChannel(page);
-		await page.goto('/home');
-		await poHomeChannel.navbar.openChat(targetChannel);
+		await poHomeChannel.gotoChannel(targetChannel);
 	});
 
 	test.afterAll(async ({ api }) => {

apps/meteor/tests/e2e/quote-attachment.spec.ts

@@ -18,8 +18,7 @@ test.describe.parallel('Quote Attachment', () => {
 
 	test.beforeEach(async ({ page }) => {
 		poHomeChannel = new HomeChannel(page);
-		await page.goto('/home');
-		await poHomeChannel.navbar.openChat(targetChannel);
+		await poHomeChannel.gotoChannel(targetChannel);
 	});
 
 	test.afterAll(async ({ api }) => {

apps/meteor/tests/e2e/quote-messages.spec.ts

@@ -32,8 +32,7 @@ test.describe.serial('Quote Messages', () => {
 		page = await context.newPage();
 		poHomeChannel = new HomeChannel(page);
 
-		await page.goto('/home');
-		await poHomeChannel.navbar.openChat(targetChannel);
+		await poHomeChannel.gotoChannel(targetChannel);
 	});
 
 	test.afterAll(async ({ api }) => {