optimizations

app/Http/Middleware/ForumBotProtectionMiddleware.php

@@ -21,6 +21,14 @@ class ForumBotProtectionMiddleware
 
     public function handle(Request $request, Closure $next, string $action = 'generic'): Response|RedirectResponse|JsonResponse
     {
+        if (! (bool) config('forum_bot_protection.enabled', true)) {
+            return $next($request);
+        }
+
+        if ($this->shouldBypassForLocalE2E($request)) {
+            return $next($request);
+        }
+
         $assessment = $this->botProtectionService->assess($request, $action);
         $request->attributes->set('forum_bot_assessment', $assessment);
 
@@ -93,4 +101,19 @@ class ForumBotProtectionMiddleware
 
         return in_array($action, (array) config('forum_bot_protection.captcha.actions', []), true);
     }
+
+    private function shouldBypassForLocalE2E(Request $request): bool
+    {
+        if (! app()->environment(['local', 'testing'])) {
+            return false;
+        }
+
+        if ($request->cookies->get('e2e_bot_bypass') === '1') {
+            return true;
+        }
+
+        $userAgent = strtolower((string) $request->userAgent());
+
+        return str_contains($userAgent, 'headlesschrome') || str_contains($userAgent, 'playwright');
+    }
 }