diff --git a/.claude/worktrees/wf_e5d13a3b-48d-1 b/.claude/worktrees/wf_e5d13a3b-48d-1
new file mode 160000
index 00000000..e0099ac4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.claude/worktrees/wf_e5d13a3b-48d-1
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+Subproject commit e0099ac429df04af0d3edf2bbc2efe9a5eafd8a1
diff --git a/.claude/worktrees/wf_e5d13a3b-48d-2 b/.claude/worktrees/wf_e5d13a3b-48d-2
new file mode 160000
index 00000000..61169603
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.claude/worktrees/wf_e5d13a3b-48d-2
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+Subproject commit 6116960367a17623dc54a174e9d5dc1fde669523
diff --git a/.claude/worktrees/wf_e5d13a3b-48d-3 b/.claude/worktrees/wf_e5d13a3b-48d-3
new file mode 160000
index 00000000..292a82d1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.claude/worktrees/wf_e5d13a3b-48d-3
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+Subproject commit 292a82d105b8a3691bde7590fdd41f6cd6ac8c8e
diff --git a/.claude/worktrees/wf_e5d13a3b-48d-4 b/.claude/worktrees/wf_e5d13a3b-48d-4
new file mode 160000
index 00000000..b7373193
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.claude/worktrees/wf_e5d13a3b-48d-4
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+Subproject commit b7373193a470ad818421d4e42ee2dc5ca14412cd
diff --git a/tests/diagnostics/core-interactions.spec.ts b/tests/diagnostics/core-interactions.spec.ts
index d631aee4..223a5d70 100644
--- a/tests/diagnostics/core-interactions.spec.ts
+++ b/tests/diagnostics/core-interactions.spec.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 import { test, expect, Page } from '@playwright/test';
-import { login, TEST_USERS } from '../helpers/auth';
+import { login, TEST_USERS } from '../lib/auth';
 
 /**
  * CORE INTERACTION MATRIX — the "basic user checks" every build must pass.
diff --git a/tests/diagnostics/explorer-tree.spec.ts b/tests/diagnostics/explorer-tree.spec.ts
index 5760243b..afc4fee1 100644
--- a/tests/diagnostics/explorer-tree.spec.ts
+++ b/tests/diagnostics/explorer-tree.spec.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 import { test, expect } from '@playwright/test';
-import { login, TEST_USERS } from '../helpers/auth';
+import { login, TEST_USERS } from '../lib/auth';
 
 /**
  * Project-explorer hierarchy: the graph selector expands a parent graph
diff --git a/tests/diagnostics/graph-balance.spec.ts b/tests/diagnostics/graph-balance.spec.ts
index fb0c65d3..30d01532 100644
--- a/tests/diagnostics/graph-balance.spec.ts
+++ b/tests/diagnostics/graph-balance.spec.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 import { test, expect } from '@playwright/test';
-import { login, TEST_USERS, getBaseURL } from '../helpers/auth';
+import { login, TEST_USERS, getBaseURL } from '../lib/auth';
 import { execFileSync } from 'node:child_process';
 import { mkdirSync } from 'node:fs';
 import * as path from 'node:path';
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ import * as path from 'node:path';
  *
  * Clips a screenshot to the graph canvas (`.graph-container`, which excludes the
  * nav rail, top bar, and the body-portaled minimap), then runs
- * tests/helpers/balance_metrics.py to compute OBJECTIVE numbers about how the
+ * tests/lib/metrics/balance_metrics.py to compute OBJECTIVE numbers about how the
  * graph is placed: centroid offset from centre, bbox coverage, content usage,
  * margin balance, quadrant mass distribution, and an informational balanceScore.
  *
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ import * as path from 'node:path';
 const MAX_OFF_MAG = 0.30; // centroid offset from frame centre (0 = dead centre)
 const MIN_BBOX_COVERAGE = 0.35; // graph bbox vs canvas (off-screen graph ~= 0.06)
 
-const PY = path.join(process.cwd(), 'tests/helpers/balance_metrics.py');
+const PY = path.join(process.cwd(), 'tests/lib/metrics/balance_metrics.py');
 const OUT = path.join(process.cwd(), 'test-artifacts/balance');
 mkdirSync(OUT, { recursive: true });
 
diff --git a/tests/diagnostics/graph-geometry.spec.ts b/tests/diagnostics/graph-geometry.spec.ts
index d4673229..f4f9af68 100644
--- a/tests/diagnostics/graph-geometry.spec.ts
+++ b/tests/diagnostics/graph-geometry.spec.ts
@@ -1,8 +1,8 @@
 import { test, expect, Page } from '@playwright/test';
 import * as fs from 'fs';
 import * as path from 'path';
-import { login, TEST_USERS } from '../helpers/auth';
-import { sweepTestData, TEST_GRAPH_PREFIX } from '../helpers/dbHealing';
+import { login, TEST_USERS } from '../lib/auth';
+import { sweepTestData, TEST_GRAPH_PREFIX } from '../lib/dbHealing';
 
 /**
  * Graph-geometry diagnostic — measures node/edge/label geometry from the REAL
diff --git a/tests/diagnostics/hierarchy-navigation.spec.ts b/tests/diagnostics/hierarchy-navigation.spec.ts
index aed0a135..986e7167 100644
--- a/tests/diagnostics/hierarchy-navigation.spec.ts
+++ b/tests/diagnostics/hierarchy-navigation.spec.ts
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 import { test, expect, Page } from '@playwright/test';
 import * as fs from 'fs';
 import * as path from 'path';
-import { login, TEST_USERS } from '../helpers/auth';
+import { login, TEST_USERS } from '../lib/auth';
 
 /**
  * Altium-style "graphs of graphs" navigation: from the System Overview, a
diff --git a/tests/diagnostics/insecure-connection-banner.spec.ts b/tests/diagnostics/insecure-connection-banner.spec.ts
index d3a16b4b..a4d0cade 100644
--- a/tests/diagnostics/insecure-connection-banner.spec.ts
+++ b/tests/diagnostics/insecure-connection-banner.spec.ts
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 import { test, expect, Page } from '@playwright/test';
 import * as fs from 'fs';
 import * as path from 'path';
-import { login, TEST_USERS } from '../helpers/auth';
+import { login, TEST_USERS } from '../lib/auth';
 
 /**
  * The insecure-connection (HTTP) warning must integrate cleanly: a slim strip
diff --git a/tests/diagnostics/interaction-audit.spec.ts b/tests/diagnostics/interaction-audit.spec.ts
index 461b7a71..8d061594 100644
--- a/tests/diagnostics/interaction-audit.spec.ts
+++ b/tests/diagnostics/interaction-audit.spec.ts
@@ -1,8 +1,8 @@
 import { test, expect, Page } from '@playwright/test';
 import * as fs from 'fs';
 import * as path from 'path';
-import { login, TEST_USERS } from '../helpers/auth';
-import { sweepTestData, TEST_GRAPH_PREFIX } from '../helpers/dbHealing';
+import { login, TEST_USERS } from '../lib/auth';
+import { sweepTestData, TEST_GRAPH_PREFIX } from '../lib/dbHealing';
 
 /**
  * Basic-interaction audit — walks the everyday graph interactions a user does
diff --git a/tests/diagnostics/large-graph-profile.spec.ts b/tests/diagnostics/large-graph-profile.spec.ts
index 0749b07c..fde3f8e4 100644
--- a/tests/diagnostics/large-graph-profile.spec.ts
+++ b/tests/diagnostics/large-graph-profile.spec.ts
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 import { test, expect, Page } from '@playwright/test';
 import * as fs from 'fs';
 import * as path from 'path';
-import { login, TEST_USERS } from '../helpers/auth';
+import { login, TEST_USERS } from '../lib/auth';
 
 /**
  * BASELINE profiler for the Compute Core (1000-node) example graph the user
diff --git a/tests/diagnostics/minimap-zoom.spec.ts b/tests/diagnostics/minimap-zoom.spec.ts
index 518984a7..11beacfd 100644
--- a/tests/diagnostics/minimap-zoom.spec.ts
+++ b/tests/diagnostics/minimap-zoom.spec.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 import { test, expect, Page } from '@playwright/test';
-import { login, TEST_USERS } from '../helpers/auth';
+import { login, TEST_USERS } from '../lib/auth';
 
 /**
  * Minimap wheel/pinch zoom: a wheel over the minimap zooms the MAIN view
diff --git a/tests/diagnostics/node-expand-legibility.spec.ts b/tests/diagnostics/node-expand-legibility.spec.ts
index 5eff8775..ed5d911a 100644
--- a/tests/diagnostics/node-expand-legibility.spec.ts
+++ b/tests/diagnostics/node-expand-legibility.spec.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 import { test, expect, Page } from '@playwright/test';
-import { login, TEST_USERS } from '../helpers/auth';
+import { login, TEST_USERS } from '../lib/auth';
 
 /**
  * PR-3 (expand-in-place) + PR-4 (zoom-decoupled legibility floor).
diff --git a/tests/diagnostics/node-inspector.spec.ts b/tests/diagnostics/node-inspector.spec.ts
index 1750586c..0e3b902f 100644
--- a/tests/diagnostics/node-inspector.spec.ts
+++ b/tests/diagnostics/node-inspector.spec.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 import { test, expect, Page } from '@playwright/test';
-import { login, TEST_USERS } from '../helpers/auth';
+import { login, TEST_USERS } from '../lib/auth';
 
 /**
  * Docked inspector: selecting a node opens it; Contents renders its description
diff --git a/tests/diagnostics/physics-settle.spec.ts b/tests/diagnostics/physics-settle.spec.ts
index ea29827b..b99f1356 100644
--- a/tests/diagnostics/physics-settle.spec.ts
+++ b/tests/diagnostics/physics-settle.spec.ts
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 import { test, expect, Page } from '@playwright/test';
 import * as fs from 'fs';
 import * as path from 'path';
-import { login, TEST_USERS } from '../helpers/auth';
+import { login, TEST_USERS } from '../lib/auth';
 
 /**
  * Physics-lifecycle diagnostic — proves the one-shot model: a graph settles,
diff --git a/tests/e2e/a11y-focus.spec.ts b/tests/e2e/a11y-focus.spec.ts
index 95ff6b4d..3980f95f 100644
--- a/tests/e2e/a11y-focus.spec.ts
+++ b/tests/e2e/a11y-focus.spec.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 import { test, expect, Page } from '@playwright/test';
-import { login, TEST_USERS, getBaseURL } from '../helpers/auth';
+import { login, TEST_USERS, getBaseURL } from '../lib/auth';
 
 /**
  * Modal accessibility / keyboard-focus gate (@a11y). Asserts the contract added
diff --git a/tests/e2e/admin-database-tab.spec.ts b/tests/e2e/admin-database-tab.spec.ts
index 10554e69..10186c99 100644
--- a/tests/e2e/admin-database-tab.spec.ts
+++ b/tests/e2e/admin-database-tab.spec.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 import { test, expect } from '@playwright/test';
-import { login, TEST_USERS, getBaseURL } from '../helpers/auth';
+import { login, TEST_USERS, getBaseURL } from '../lib/auth';
 
 test.describe('Admin Database Tab', () => {
   test.beforeEach(async ({ page }) => {
diff --git a/tests/e2e/api-health.spec.ts b/tests/e2e/api-health.spec.ts
index 649fb9f2..4abea61e 100644
--- a/tests/e2e/api-health.spec.ts
+++ b/tests/e2e/api-health.spec.ts
@@ -1,9 +1,9 @@
 import { test, expect } from '@playwright/test';
-import { HEALTH_URL, gqlRequest, apiLogin } from '../helpers/api';
+import { HEALTH_URL, gqlRequest, apiLogin } from '../lib/api';
 
 // API health checks, deployment-agnostic: every URL derives from TEST_URL
 // (nginx route layout in production, Vite proxy in dev) and data queries
-// authenticate the same way the UI does. See tests/helpers/api.ts.
+// authenticate the same way the UI does. See tests/lib/api.ts.
 test.describe('GraphQL API Health Tests', () => {
   let token: string;
 
diff --git a/tests/e2e/basic-workflow.spec.ts b/tests/e2e/basic-workflow.spec.ts
index 52ac7a72..95a79daf 100644
--- a/tests/e2e/basic-workflow.spec.ts
+++ b/tests/e2e/basic-workflow.spec.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 import { test, expect } from '@playwright/test';
-import { login, TEST_USERS } from '../helpers/auth';
+import { login, TEST_USERS } from '../lib/auth';
 
 test.describe('Basic User Workflow', () => {
   test('should complete full user journey: login → select/create graph → create node → verify node appears without refresh', async ({ page }) => {
diff --git a/tests/e2e/camera.spec.ts b/tests/e2e/camera.spec.ts
index 2582ffaa..64236514 100644
--- a/tests/e2e/camera.spec.ts
+++ b/tests/e2e/camera.spec.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 import { test, expect, Page } from '@playwright/test';
-import { login, TEST_USERS, getBaseURL } from '../helpers/auth';
+import { login, TEST_USERS, getBaseURL } from '../lib/auth';
 
 /**
  * Camera framing + persistence (@camera).
diff --git a/tests/e2e/copy-id.spec.ts b/tests/e2e/copy-id.spec.ts
index e91a7266..1bd8d9a8 100644
--- a/tests/e2e/copy-id.spec.ts
+++ b/tests/e2e/copy-id.spec.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 import { test, expect } from '@playwright/test';
-import { login, TEST_USERS, getBaseURL } from '../helpers/auth';
+import { login, TEST_USERS, getBaseURL } from '../lib/auth';
 
 /**
  * Click-to-copy node id (@copyid, #23): the node inspector shows a short id chip;
diff --git a/tests/e2e/feature-matrix.spec.ts b/tests/e2e/feature-matrix.spec.ts
index 567ea88d..db0d7307 100644
--- a/tests/e2e/feature-matrix.spec.ts
+++ b/tests/e2e/feature-matrix.spec.ts
@@ -1,8 +1,8 @@
 import { test, expect, Page, TestInfo } from '@playwright/test';
 import * as fs from 'fs';
 import * as path from 'path';
-import { getBaseURL } from '../helpers/auth';
-import { auditLayout, auditContrast } from '../helpers/mobileAudit';
+import { getBaseURL } from '../lib/auth';
+import { auditLayout, auditContrast } from '../lib/mobileAudit';
 
 const SHOT_ROOT = path.resolve(process.cwd(), 'test-artifacts/matrix');
 
diff --git a/tests/e2e/form-validation.spec.ts b/tests/e2e/form-validation.spec.ts
index c85c7e70..7abbed1e 100644
--- a/tests/e2e/form-validation.spec.ts
+++ b/tests/e2e/form-validation.spec.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 import { test, expect, Page } from '@playwright/test';
-import { login, TEST_USERS, getBaseURL } from '../helpers/auth';
+import { login, TEST_USERS, getBaseURL } from '../lib/auth';
 
 /**
  * Form-validation gate (@validation). Exercises the client-side validation
diff --git a/tests/e2e/living-graph.spec.ts b/tests/e2e/living-graph.spec.ts
index 79d40c0a..fcf5486f 100644
--- a/tests/e2e/living-graph.spec.ts
+++ b/tests/e2e/living-graph.spec.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 import { test, expect, Page } from '@playwright/test';
-import { login, TEST_USERS } from '../helpers/auth';
+import { login, TEST_USERS } from '../lib/auth';
 
 /**
  * The living graph is the product's differentiator (breathing, glow, energy
diff --git a/tests/e2e/login-focus.spec.ts b/tests/e2e/login-focus.spec.ts
index 736ee7a9..8fd1154e 100644
--- a/tests/e2e/login-focus.spec.ts
+++ b/tests/e2e/login-focus.spec.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 import { test, expect } from '@playwright/test';
-import { getBaseURL } from '../helpers/auth';
+import { getBaseURL } from '../lib/auth';
 
 /**
  * Passwordless sign-in focus order (@loginfocus). When the user switches to the
diff --git a/tests/e2e/matrix.setup.ts b/tests/e2e/matrix.setup.ts
index 220a997b..a1137a33 100644
--- a/tests/e2e/matrix.setup.ts
+++ b/tests/e2e/matrix.setup.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 import { test as setup } from '@playwright/test';
-import { login, TEST_USERS } from '../helpers/auth';
+import { login, TEST_USERS } from '../lib/auth';
 
 // One real login for the whole matrix run; every feature-matrix test reuses this
 // storage state so the ~100-cell resolution×feature sweep doesn't re-login each
diff --git a/tests/e2e/mobile-audit.spec.ts b/tests/e2e/mobile-audit.spec.ts
index 8c0135c8..c879dcfb 100644
--- a/tests/e2e/mobile-audit.spec.ts
+++ b/tests/e2e/mobile-audit.spec.ts
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 import { test, expect } from '@playwright/test';
-import { login, TEST_USERS, getBaseURL } from '../helpers/auth';
-import { auditLayout, auditContrast } from '../helpers/mobileAudit';
+import { login, TEST_USERS, getBaseURL } from '../lib/auth';
+import { auditLayout, auditContrast } from '../lib/mobileAudit';
 
 /**
  * Automated mobile sweep — runs the layout + contrast auditors against EVERY
diff --git a/tests/e2e/mobile-dialogs.spec.ts b/tests/e2e/mobile-dialogs.spec.ts
index c557b741..38ee38f7 100644
--- a/tests/e2e/mobile-dialogs.spec.ts
+++ b/tests/e2e/mobile-dialogs.spec.ts
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 import { test, expect } from '@playwright/test';
-import { login, TEST_USERS, getBaseURL } from '../helpers/auth';
-import { auditDialog } from '../helpers/mobileAudit';
+import { login, TEST_USERS, getBaseURL } from '../lib/auth';
+import { auditDialog } from '../lib/mobileAudit';
 
 /**
  * Automated dialog sweep — opens the modals a phone user actually hits and
diff --git a/tests/e2e/mobile-experience.spec.ts b/tests/e2e/mobile-experience.spec.ts
index 3754cb7b..ac8b6a25 100644
--- a/tests/e2e/mobile-experience.spec.ts
+++ b/tests/e2e/mobile-experience.spec.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 import { test, expect } from '@playwright/test';
-import { login, TEST_USERS } from '../helpers/auth';
+import { login, TEST_USERS } from '../lib/auth';
 
 /**
  * Mobile experience contract. A phone-sized screen should land on a readable
diff --git a/tests/e2e/mobile-views.spec.ts b/tests/e2e/mobile-views.spec.ts
index fb42f14e..0b6092b9 100644
--- a/tests/e2e/mobile-views.spec.ts
+++ b/tests/e2e/mobile-views.spec.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 import { test, expect, Page } from '@playwright/test';
-import { login, TEST_USERS } from '../helpers/auth';
+import { login, TEST_USERS } from '../lib/auth';
 
 /**
  * Mobile usability of the non-graph views. On a phone a user should be able to
diff --git a/tests/e2e/node-quick-edit.spec.ts b/tests/e2e/node-quick-edit.spec.ts
index 8858e0c2..f5b0f405 100644
--- a/tests/e2e/node-quick-edit.spec.ts
+++ b/tests/e2e/node-quick-edit.spec.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 import { test, expect, Page } from '@playwright/test';
-import { login, TEST_USERS, getBaseURL } from '../helpers/auth';
+import { login, TEST_USERS, getBaseURL } from '../lib/auth';
 
 /**
  * In-context node quick-edit (@quickedit, #87): double-clicking a node opens a
diff --git a/tests/e2e/oauth-provider-config.spec.ts b/tests/e2e/oauth-provider-config.spec.ts
index c3584805..648a6742 100644
--- a/tests/e2e/oauth-provider-config.spec.ts
+++ b/tests/e2e/oauth-provider-config.spec.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 import { test, expect } from '@playwright/test';
-import { login, TEST_USERS, getBaseURL } from '../helpers/auth';
+import { login, TEST_USERS, getBaseURL } from '../lib/auth';
 
 test.describe('OAuth Provider Configuration (Admin Panel)', () => {
   test.beforeEach(async ({ page }) => {
diff --git a/tests/e2e/overlay-dismissal.spec.ts b/tests/e2e/overlay-dismissal.spec.ts
index 1b52d562..648c2b7b 100644
--- a/tests/e2e/overlay-dismissal.spec.ts
+++ b/tests/e2e/overlay-dismissal.spec.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 import { test, expect, Page } from '@playwright/test';
-import { login, TEST_USERS, getBaseURL } from '../helpers/auth';
+import { login, TEST_USERS, getBaseURL } from '../lib/auth';
 
 /**
  * Overlay dismissal gate (@dismissal). Verifies the dialog-manager "friction
diff --git a/tests/e2e/relationship-flip.spec.ts b/tests/e2e/relationship-flip.spec.ts
index 05f6fc16..f28123d9 100644
--- a/tests/e2e/relationship-flip.spec.ts
+++ b/tests/e2e/relationship-flip.spec.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 import { test, expect } from '@playwright/test';
-import { login, TEST_USERS, navigateToWorkspace } from '../helpers/auth';
+import { login, TEST_USERS, navigateToWorkspace } from '../lib/auth';
 
 test.describe('Relationship Flip Functionality', () => {
   test.beforeEach(async ({ page }) => {
diff --git a/tests/e2e/responsive.spec.ts b/tests/e2e/responsive.spec.ts
index 499e342a..5508b05d 100644
--- a/tests/e2e/responsive.spec.ts
+++ b/tests/e2e/responsive.spec.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 import { test, expect, Page } from '@playwright/test';
-import { login, TEST_USERS } from '../helpers/auth';
+import { login, TEST_USERS } from '../lib/auth';
 
 // RESP-5 (docs/USER_STORIES.md): the core flow must work on phone, tablet and
 // desktop viewports, with no horizontal scroll and visible primary navigation.
diff --git a/tests/e2e/showcase.spec.ts b/tests/e2e/showcase.spec.ts
index 85fca48e..5fddbf16 100644
--- a/tests/e2e/showcase.spec.ts
+++ b/tests/e2e/showcase.spec.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 import { test, expect, Page } from '@playwright/test';
-import { login, TEST_USERS } from '../helpers/auth';
+import { login, TEST_USERS } from '../lib/auth';
 import * as fs from 'fs';
 import * as path from 'path';
 
diff --git a/tests/e2e/signup-fit.spec.ts b/tests/e2e/signup-fit.spec.ts
index 2f7799d3..03815498 100644
--- a/tests/e2e/signup-fit.spec.ts
+++ b/tests/e2e/signup-fit.spec.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 import { test, expect } from '@playwright/test';
-import { getBaseURL } from '../helpers/auth';
+import { getBaseURL } from '../lib/auth';
 
 /**
  * Responsive "fit the window" religion (@signup-fit): on a large screen the
diff --git a/tests/e2e/user-smoke.spec.ts b/tests/e2e/user-smoke.spec.ts
index 0bd9072c..9919e283 100644
--- a/tests/e2e/user-smoke.spec.ts
+++ b/tests/e2e/user-smoke.spec.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 import { test, expect } from '@playwright/test';
-import { login, TEST_USERS } from '../helpers/auth';
+import { login, TEST_USERS } from '../lib/auth';
 
 /**
  * THE GATE. This spec sees the app exactly as a user does — if it fails,
diff --git a/tests/e2e/visual-vlm.spec.ts b/tests/e2e/visual-vlm.spec.ts
index e5ca9673..b35e379e 100644
--- a/tests/e2e/visual-vlm.spec.ts
+++ b/tests/e2e/visual-vlm.spec.ts
@@ -1,11 +1,11 @@
 import { test, expect, Page } from '@playwright/test';
 import * as fs from 'fs';
 import * as path from 'path';
-import { login, TEST_USERS } from '../helpers/auth';
-import { seedLargeGraph, deleteGraphDeep } from '../helpers/seedGraph';
-import { sweepTestData, TEST_GRAPH_PREFIX } from '../helpers/dbHealing';
-import '../helpers/testEnv';
-import { isVlmAvailable, evaluateBatch, PERSONAS, personaByKey } from '../helpers/vlm';
+import { login, TEST_USERS } from '../lib/auth';
+import { seedLargeGraph, deleteGraphDeep } from '../lib/seedGraph';
+import { sweepTestData, TEST_GRAPH_PREFIX } from '../lib/dbHealing';
+import '../lib/testEnv';
+import { isVlmAvailable, evaluateBatch, PERSONAS, personaByKey } from '../lib/vlm';
 
 /**
  * Local-VLM visual evaluation. Captures key user-facing states, then asks a
diff --git a/tests/e2e/z-order.spec.ts b/tests/e2e/z-order.spec.ts
index a38733fb..661bcddc 100644
--- a/tests/e2e/z-order.spec.ts
+++ b/tests/e2e/z-order.spec.ts
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 import { test, expect, Page } from '@playwright/test';
-import { login, TEST_USERS, getBaseURL } from '../helpers/auth';
-import { auditOnTop } from '../helpers/zorder';
-import { auditDialog } from '../helpers/mobileAudit';
+import { login, TEST_USERS, getBaseURL } from '../lib/auth';
+import { auditOnTop } from '../lib/zorder';
+import { auditDialog } from '../lib/mobileAudit';
 
 /**
  * Z-order / stacking gate. Opens every floating overlay in the app (dropdowns,
diff --git a/tests/helpers/README.md b/tests/lib/README.md
similarity index 100%
rename from tests/helpers/README.md
rename to tests/lib/README.md
diff --git a/tests/helpers/api.ts b/tests/lib/api.ts
similarity index 100%
rename from tests/helpers/api.ts
rename to tests/lib/api.ts
diff --git a/tests/helpers/auth.ts b/tests/lib/auth.ts
similarity index 100%
rename from tests/helpers/auth.ts
rename to tests/lib/auth.ts
diff --git a/tests/helpers/dbHealing.ts b/tests/lib/dbHealing.ts
similarity index 100%
rename from tests/helpers/dbHealing.ts
rename to tests/lib/dbHealing.ts
diff --git a/tests/helpers/balance_metrics.py b/tests/lib/metrics/balance_metrics.py
similarity index 100%
rename from tests/helpers/balance_metrics.py
rename to tests/lib/metrics/balance_metrics.py
diff --git a/tests/helpers/mobileAudit.ts b/tests/lib/mobileAudit.ts
similarity index 100%
rename from tests/helpers/mobileAudit.ts
rename to tests/lib/mobileAudit.ts
diff --git a/tests/helpers/mock-oauth-server.ts b/tests/lib/mock-oauth-server.ts
similarity index 100%
rename from tests/helpers/mock-oauth-server.ts
rename to tests/lib/mock-oauth-server.ts
diff --git a/tests/helpers/seedGraph.ts b/tests/lib/seedGraph.ts
similarity index 100%
rename from tests/helpers/seedGraph.ts
rename to tests/lib/seedGraph.ts
diff --git a/tests/helpers/testEnv.ts b/tests/lib/testEnv.ts
similarity index 97%
rename from tests/helpers/testEnv.ts
rename to tests/lib/testEnv.ts
index f29c8c80..771d65fd 100644
--- a/tests/helpers/testEnv.ts
+++ b/tests/lib/testEnv.ts
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ import dotenv from 'dotenv';
  * this for its side effect at the top of any spec/generator that needs the VLM
  * endpoints or sweep config:
  *
- *   import '../helpers/testEnv';
+ *   import '../lib/testEnv';
  *
  * Safe to import everywhere — it's a no-op when the file is absent (e.g. CI),
  * so VLM-driven suites skip cleanly. Existing process.env values win, so you
diff --git a/tests/helpers/vlm.ts b/tests/lib/vlm.ts
similarity index 100%
rename from tests/helpers/vlm.ts
rename to tests/lib/vlm.ts
diff --git a/tests/helpers/zorder.ts b/tests/lib/zorder.ts
similarity index 100%
rename from tests/helpers/zorder.ts
rename to tests/lib/zorder.ts
diff --git a/tests/perf/graph-perf.spec.ts b/tests/perf/graph-perf.spec.ts
index 9bdfec3f..00366ac6 100644
--- a/tests/perf/graph-perf.spec.ts
+++ b/tests/perf/graph-perf.spec.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 import { test, expect, Page } from '@playwright/test';
-import { login, TEST_USERS } from '../helpers/auth';
+import { login, TEST_USERS } from '../lib/auth';
 
 /**
  * Runtime performance budgets (ADAPT-8). Numbers come from the in-app
diff --git a/tests/perf/scale-sweep.spec.ts b/tests/perf/scale-sweep.spec.ts
index 00b452e5..cf12e06c 100644
--- a/tests/perf/scale-sweep.spec.ts
+++ b/tests/perf/scale-sweep.spec.ts
@@ -1,11 +1,11 @@
 import { test, expect, Page } from '@playwright/test';
 import * as fs from 'fs';
 import * as path from 'path';
-import { login, TEST_USERS } from '../helpers/auth';
-import { seedLargeGraph, deleteGraphDeep } from '../helpers/seedGraph';
-import { sweepTestData } from '../helpers/dbHealing';
-import '../helpers/testEnv';
-import { envIntList, envList } from '../helpers/testEnv';
+import { login, TEST_USERS } from '../lib/auth';
+import { seedLargeGraph, deleteGraphDeep } from '../lib/seedGraph';
+import { sweepTestData } from '../lib/dbHealing';
+import '../lib/testEnv';
+import { envIntList, envList } from '../lib/testEnv';
 
 /**
  * Large-scale graph creation + performance metric sweep. Seeds real graphs of