diff --git a/bats/tests/containers/allowed-images.bats b/bats/tests/containers/allowed-images.bats
index c380006f5b2..c9a9e89174a 100644
--- a/bats/tests/containers/allowed-images.bats
+++ b/bats/tests/containers/allowed-images.bats
@@ -1,13 +1,5 @@
-setup() {
-    load '../helpers/load'
-    RD_USE_IMAGE_ALLOW_LIST=true
-}
-
-teardown_file() {
-    load '../helpers/load'
-    run rdctl shutdown
-    assert_nothing
-}
+load '../helpers/load'
+RD_USE_IMAGE_ALLOW_LIST=true
 
 @test 'start' {
     factory_reset
diff --git a/bats/tests/containers/catch-duplicate-api-patterns.bats b/bats/tests/containers/catch-duplicate-api-patterns.bats
index 72def8cf55c..e066b30cb70 100644
--- a/bats/tests/containers/catch-duplicate-api-patterns.bats
+++ b/bats/tests/containers/catch-duplicate-api-patterns.bats
@@ -1,13 +1,5 @@
-setup() {
-    load '../helpers/load'
-    RD_USE_IMAGE_ALLOW_LIST=true
-}
-
-teardown_file() {
-    load '../helpers/load'
-    run rdctl shutdown
-    assert_nothing
-}
+load '../helpers/load'
+RD_USE_IMAGE_ALLOW_LIST=true
 
 @test 'catch attempts to add duplicate patterns via the API with enabled on' {
     factory_reset
diff --git a/bats/tests/containers/factory-reset.bats b/bats/tests/containers/factory-reset.bats
index c62da5cbe16..1a4ea05c04d 100644
--- a/bats/tests/containers/factory-reset.bats
+++ b/bats/tests/containers/factory-reset.bats
@@ -1,8 +1,6 @@
-setup() {
-    load '../helpers/load'
-    assert=assert
-    refute=refute
-}
+load '../helpers/load'
+assert=assert
+refute=refute
 
 @test 'factory reset' {
     factory_reset
diff --git a/bats/tests/containers/host-connectivity.bats b/bats/tests/containers/host-connectivity.bats
index a5cc3ec7a97..b6f448afd30 100644
--- a/bats/tests/containers/host-connectivity.bats
+++ b/bats/tests/containers/host-connectivity.bats
@@ -3,9 +3,7 @@
 # between the host and the container. Please check the below link for instructions.
 # https://docs.rancherdesktop.io/faq#q-can-containers-reach-back-to-host-services-via-hostdockerinternal
 
-setup() {
-    load '../helpers/load'
-}
+load '../helpers/load'
 
 @test 'factory reset' {
     factory_reset
diff --git a/bats/tests/containers/platform.bats b/bats/tests/containers/platform.bats
index 902935d18cd..6e08cb5c4f1 100644
--- a/bats/tests/containers/platform.bats
+++ b/bats/tests/containers/platform.bats
@@ -1,6 +1,4 @@
-setup() {
-    load '../helpers/load'
-}
+load '../helpers/load'
 
 @test 'factory reset' {
     factory_reset
diff --git a/bats/tests/containers/run-rancher.bats b/bats/tests/containers/run-rancher.bats
index ac7bb5c6116..23f00106e10 100644
--- a/bats/tests/containers/run-rancher.bats
+++ b/bats/tests/containers/run-rancher.bats
@@ -1,6 +1,4 @@
-setup() {
-    load '../helpers/load'
-}
+load '../helpers/load'
 
 @test 'factory reset' {
     factory_reset
diff --git a/bats/tests/containers/switch-engines.bats b/bats/tests/containers/switch-engines.bats
index d94fd0e7743..f1d0d897d32 100644
--- a/bats/tests/containers/switch-engines.bats
+++ b/bats/tests/containers/switch-engines.bats
@@ -1,15 +1,7 @@
 # Test case 20
 
-setup() {
-    load '../helpers/load'
-    RD_CONTAINER_ENGINE=moby
-}
-
-teardown_file() {
-    load '../helpers/load'
-    run rdctl shutdown
-    assert_nothing
-}
+load '../helpers/load'
+RD_CONTAINER_ENGINE=moby
 
 switch_container_engine() {
     local name=$1
diff --git a/bats/tests/extensions/containers.bats b/bats/tests/extensions/containers.bats
index 456541f24ac..a3970d56d59 100644
--- a/bats/tests/extensions/containers.bats
+++ b/bats/tests/extensions/containers.bats
@@ -1,11 +1,7 @@
-setup_file() {
-    load '../helpers/load'
-}
+load '../helpers/load'
 
 setup() {
-    load '../helpers/load'
-
-    TESTDATA_DIR="${PATH_TEST_ROOT}/extensions/testdata/"
+    TESTDATA_DIR="${PATH_BATS_ROOT}/tests/extensions/testdata/"
 
     if using_containerd; then
         namespace_arg=('--namespace=rancher-desktop-extensions')
@@ -14,11 +10,6 @@ setup() {
     fi
 }
 
-teardown_file() {
-    run rdctl shutdown
-    assert_nothing
-}
-
 id() { # variant
     echo "rd/extension/$1"
 }
diff --git a/bats/tests/extensions/install.bats b/bats/tests/extensions/install.bats
index f63614eeaad..628cc413dc7 100644
--- a/bats/tests/extensions/install.bats
+++ b/bats/tests/extensions/install.bats
@@ -1,11 +1,7 @@
-setup_file() {
-    load '../helpers/load'
-}
+load '../helpers/load'
 
 setup() {
-    load '../helpers/load'
-
-    TESTDATA_DIR="${PATH_TEST_ROOT}/extensions/testdata/"
+    TESTDATA_DIR="${PATH_BATS_ROOT}/tests/extensions/testdata/"
 
     if using_containerd; then
         namespace_arg=('--namespace=rancher-desktop-extensions')
@@ -14,11 +10,6 @@ setup() {
     fi
 }
 
-teardown_file() {
-    run rdctl shutdown
-    assert_nothing
-}
-
 assert_file_contents_equal() { # $have $want
     local have="$1" want="$2"
     assert_file_exist "$have"
diff --git a/bats/tests/helpers/defaults.bash b/bats/tests/helpers/defaults.bash
index 5381b41e754..bfbc132b2f4 100644
--- a/bats/tests/helpers/defaults.bash
+++ b/bats/tests/helpers/defaults.bash
@@ -1,4 +1,17 @@
+validate_enum() {
+    local var=$1
+    shift
+    for value in "$@"; do
+        if [ "${!var}" = "$value" ]; then
+            return
+        fi
+    done
+    fatal "$var=${!var} is not a valid setting; select from [$*]"
+}
+
 : "${RD_CONTAINER_ENGINE:=containerd}"
+validate_enum RD_CONTAINER_ENGINE containerd moby
+
 : "${RD_KUBERNETES_VERSION:=1.23.6}"
 : "${RD_KUBERNETES_PREV_VERSION:=1.22.7}"
 : "${RD_RANCHER_IMAGE_TAG:=v2.7.0}"
@@ -6,9 +19,24 @@
 : "${RD_USE_IMAGE_ALLOW_LIST:=false}"
 : "${RD_USE_WINDOWS_EXE:=false}"
 
+# RD_LOCATION specifies the location where Rancher Desktop is installed
+#   system: default system-wide install location shared for all users
+#   user:   per-user install location
+#   dist:   use the result of `npm run package` in ../dist
+#   npm:    dev mode; start app with `cd ..; npm run dev`
+#   "":     use first location from the list above that contains the app
+
+: "${RD_LOCATION:=}"
+validate_enum RD_LOCATION system user dist npm ""
+
+using_npm_run_dev() {
+    [ "$RD_LOCATION" = "npm" ]
+}
+
 using_image_allow_list() {
     is_true "$RD_USE_IMAGE_ALLOW_LIST"
 }
+
 using_windows_exe() {
     is_true "$RD_USE_WINDOWS_EXE"
 }
diff --git a/bats/tests/helpers/info.bash b/bats/tests/helpers/info.bash
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..3d65093f62f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/bats/tests/helpers/info.bash
@@ -0,0 +1,19 @@
+load load.bash
+
+# This file exists to print information about the configuration just once, e.g.
+#
+#   bats test/helpers/info.bash tests/*
+#
+# This can't be done during normal `load` operation because then it would be
+# printed for every single test run.
+
+# The info output is wrapped in a dummy test because bats doesn't execute files
+# that don't contain at least a single test case.
+#
+# Also use bash-compatible @test syntax so shellcheck doesn't complain. The file
+# uses a `.bash` extension so it is not matched by `tests/*` when running all
+# tests; you'll want to run it before all the other tests.
+
+info() { # @test
+    echo "Using '$RD_LOCATION' install; resources '$PATH_RESOURCES'" >&3
+}
diff --git a/bats/tests/helpers/load.bash b/bats/tests/helpers/load.bash
index f51e05f2781..c25cc382968 100644
--- a/bats/tests/helpers/load.bash
+++ b/bats/tests/helpers/load.bash
@@ -1,14 +1,20 @@
 set -o errexit -o nounset -o pipefail
 
-# Get absolute path names for current and top directories
-PATH_BATS_HELPERS=$(
-    cd "$(dirname "${BASH_SOURCE[0]}")"
-    pwd
-)
-PATH_BATS_ROOT=$(
-    cd "$PATH_BATS_HELPERS/../.."
-    pwd
-)
+absolute_path() {
+    (
+        cd "$1"
+        pwd
+    )
+}
+
+PATH_BATS_HELPERS=$(absolute_path "$(dirname "${BASH_SOURCE[0]}")")
+PATH_BATS_ROOT=$(absolute_path "$PATH_BATS_HELPERS/../..")
+
+# Use fatal() to abort loading helpers; don't run any tests
+fatal() {
+    echo "   $1" >&3
+    exit 1
+}
 
 source "$PATH_BATS_ROOT/bats-support/load.bash"
 source "$PATH_BATS_ROOT/bats-assert/load.bash"
@@ -27,3 +33,8 @@ source "$PATH_BATS_HELPERS/commands.bash"
 
 # Use Linux utilities (like jq) on WSL
 export PATH="$PATH_BATS_ROOT/bin/${OS/windows/linux}:$PATH"
+
+# On Linux if we don't shutdown Rancher Desktop the bats test doesn't terminate
+teardown_file() {
+    run rdctl shutdown
+}
diff --git a/bats/tests/helpers/paths.bash b/bats/tests/helpers/paths.bash
index f250f100cfe..4504c10fbcb 100644
--- a/bats/tests/helpers/paths.bash
+++ b/bats/tests/helpers/paths.bash
@@ -1,17 +1,67 @@
+# PATH_BATS_ROOT and PATH_BATS_HELPERS are already set by load.bash
+
+PATH_REPO_ROOT=$(absolute_path "$PATH_BATS_ROOT/..")
+
+inside_repo_clone() {
+    [ -d "$PATH_REPO_ROOT/pkg/rancher-desktop" ]
+}
+
+set_path_resources() {
+    local system=$1
+    local user=$2
+    local dist=$3
+    local subdir=$4
+
+    if [ -z "$RD_LOCATION" ]; then
+        if [ -d "$system" ]; then
+            RD_LOCATION=system
+        elif [ -d "$user" ]; then
+            RD_LOCATION=user
+        elif [ -d "$dist" ]; then
+            RD_LOCATION=dist
+        elif inside_repo_clone; then
+            RD_LOCATION=npm
+        else
+            (
+                echo "Couldn't locate Rancher Desktop in"
+                echo "- \"$system\""
+                echo "- \"$user\""
+                echo "- \"$dist\""
+                echo "and 'npm run dev' is unavailable outside repo clone"
+            ) >&3
+            exit 1
+        fi
+    fi
+    if using_npm_run_dev; then
+        if is_windows; then
+            fatal "npm operation not yet implemented for Windows"
+        fi
+        PATH_RESOURCES="$PATH_REPO_ROOT/resources"
+    else
+        PATH_RESOURCES="${!RD_LOCATION}/${subdir}"
+    fi
+    if [ ! -d "$PATH_RESOURCES" ]; then
+        fatal "App resource directory '$PATH_RESOURCES' does not exist"
+    fi
+}
+
 if is_macos; then
     PATH_APP_HOME="$HOME/Library/Application Support/rancher-desktop"
     PATH_CONFIG="$HOME/Library/Preferences/rancher-desktop"
     PATH_CACHE="$HOME/Library/Caches/rancher-desktop"
     PATH_LOGS="$HOME/Library/Logs/rancher-desktop"
     PATH_EXTENSIONS="$PATH_APP_HOME/extensions"
-    if test -d "/Applications/Rancher Desktop.app"; then
-        PATH_EXECUTABLE="/Applications/Rancher Desktop.app/Contents/MacOS/Rancher Desktop"
-        PATH_RESOURCES="/Applications/Rancher Desktop.app/Contents/Resources/resources"
-    else
-        PATH_EXECUTABLE="$(dirname "${BASH_SOURCE[0]}")/../../../dist/mac-$(uname -m)/Rancher Desktop.app/Contents/MacOS/Rancher Desktop"
-        PATH_RESOURCES="$(dirname "${BASH_SOURCE[0]}")/../../../dist/mac-$(uname -m)/Rancher Desktop.app/Contents/Resources/resources"
-    fi
     LIMA_HOME="$PATH_APP_HOME/lima"
+
+    ELECTRON_DIST_ARCH="mac"
+    if is_macos arm64; then
+        ELECTRON_DIST_ARCH="mac-arm64"
+    fi
+    set_path_resources \
+        "/Applications/Rancher Desktop.app" \
+        "$HOME/Applications/Rancher Desktop.app" \
+        "$PATH_REPO_ROOT/dist/$ELECTRON_DIST_ARCH/Rancher Desktop.app" \
+        "Contents/Resources/resources"
 fi
 
 if is_linux; then
@@ -21,13 +71,13 @@ if is_linux; then
     PATH_DATA="$HOME/.local/share/rancher-desktop"
     PATH_LOGS="$PATH_DATA/logs"
     PATH_EXTENSIONS="$PATH_DATA/extensions"
-    PATH_EXECUTABLE="" # TODO
-    if test -d "/opt/rancher-desktop"; then
-        PATH_RESOURCES="/opt/rancher-desktop/resources/resources"
-    else
-        PATH_RESOURCES="$(dirname "${BASH_SOURCE[0]}")/../../../dist/linux-unpacked/resources/resources"
-    fi
     LIMA_HOME="$PATH_DATA/lima"
+
+    set_path_resources \
+        "/opt/rancher-desktop" \
+        "/no user location on linux" \
+        "$PATH_REPO_ROOT/dist/linux-unpacked" \
+        "resources/resources"
 fi
 
 win32env() {
@@ -50,17 +100,12 @@ if is_windows; then
     PATH_DISTRO="$PATH_DATA/distro"
     PATH_DISTRO_DATA="$PATH_DATA/distro-data"
     PATH_EXTENSIONS="$PATH_DATA/extensions"
-    if test -d "$PROGRAMFILES/Rancher Desktop"; then
-        PATH_EXECUTABLE="$PROGRAMFILES/Rancher Desktop/Rancher Desktop.exe"
-        PATH_RESOURCES="$PROGRAMFILES/Rancher Desktop/resources/resources"
-    elif test -d "$LOCALAPPDATA/Programs/Rancher Desktop"; then
-        PATH_EXECUTABLE="$LOCALAPPDATA/Programs/Rancher Desktop/Rancher Desktop.exe"
-        PATH_RESOURCES="$LOCALAPPDATA/Programs/Rancher Desktop/resources/resources"
-    else
-        PATH_EXECUTABLE="$(dirname "${BASH_SOURCE[0]}")/../../../dist/win-unpacked/Rancher Desktop.exe"
-        PATH_RESOURCES="$(dirname "${BASH_SOURCE[0]}")/../../../dist/win-unpacked/resources/resources"
-    fi
+
+    set_path_resources \
+        "$PROGRAMFILES/Rancher Desktop" \
+        "$LOCALAPPDATA/Programs/Rancher Desktop" \
+        "$PATH_REPO_ROOT/dist/win-unpacked" \
+        "resources/resources"
 fi
 
 PATH_CONFIG_FILE="$PATH_CONFIG/settings.json"
-PATH_TEST_ROOT="$(dirname "${BASH_SOURCE[0]}")/.."
diff --git a/bats/tests/helpers/vm.bash b/bats/tests/helpers/vm.bash
index b38838175a4..d6e9d924cb5 100644
--- a/bats/tests/helpers/vm.bash
+++ b/bats/tests/helpers/vm.bash
@@ -12,6 +12,17 @@ wait_for_shell() {
 factory_reset() {
     rdctl factory-reset
 
+    if is_unix; then
+        if pgrep -f rancher-desktop; then
+            pkill -f rancher-desktop
+            # Re-run because RD was not stopped before deleting the data
+            rdctl factory-reset
+        fi
+    else
+        # TODO: kill `npm run dev` instance on Windows
+        true
+    fi
+
     if is_windows; then
         run sudo ip link delete docker0
         run sudo ip link delete nerdctl0
@@ -21,11 +32,32 @@ factory_reset() {
     fi
 }
 
+# Turn `rdctl start` arguments into `npm run dev` arguments
+apify_arg() {
+    # TODO this should be done via autogenerated code from command-api.yaml
+    perl -w - "$1" <<'EOF'
+# don't modify the value part after the first '=' sign
+($_, my $value) = split /=/, shift, 2;
+if (/^--/) {
+    # turn "--virtual-machine.memory-in-gb" into "--virtualMachine.memoryInGb"
+    s/(\w)-(\w)/$1\U$2/g;
+    # fixup acronyms
+    s/memoryInGb/memoryInGB/;
+    s/numberCpus/numberCPUs/;
+    s/socketVmnet/socketVMNet/;
+    s/msizeInKb/msizeInKB/;
+    s/--wsl/--WSL/;
+}
+print;
+print "=$value" if $value;
+EOF
+}
+
 start_container_engine() {
     local args=(
         --application.updater.enabled=false
-        --container-engine="$RD_CONTAINER_ENGINE"
-        --kubernetes-enabled=false
+        --container-engine.name="$RD_CONTAINER_ENGINE"
+        --kubernetes.enabled=false
     )
     if is_unix; then
         args+=(
@@ -56,9 +88,19 @@ start_container_engine() {
 }
 EOF
 
-    # Detach `rdctl start` because on Windows the process may not exit until
-    # Rancher Desktop itself quits.
-    rdctl start "${args[@]}" "$@" &
+    if using_npm_run_dev; then
+        # translated args back into the internal API format
+        api_args=()
+        for arg in "${args[@]}"; do
+            api_args+=("$(apify_arg "$arg")")
+        done
+
+        npm run dev -- "${api_args[@]}" "$@" &
+    else
+        # Detach `rdctl start` because on Windows the process may not exit until
+        # Rancher Desktop itself quits.
+        rdctl start "${args[@]}" "$@" &
+    fi
 }
 
 # shellcheck disable=SC2120
diff --git a/bats/tests/k8s/enable-disable-k8s.bats b/bats/tests/k8s/enable-disable-k8s.bats
index 25004d949f8..86a1e522259 100644
--- a/bats/tests/k8s/enable-disable-k8s.bats
+++ b/bats/tests/k8s/enable-disable-k8s.bats
@@ -1,8 +1,6 @@
 # Test case 8, 13, 22
 
-setup() {
-    load '../helpers/load'
-}
+load '../helpers/load'
 
 @test 'factory reset' {
     factory_reset
diff --git a/bats/tests/k8s/helm-install-rancher.bats b/bats/tests/k8s/helm-install-rancher.bats
index aa9b0a8d21f..06a69004356 100644
--- a/bats/tests/k8s/helm-install-rancher.bats
+++ b/bats/tests/k8s/helm-install-rancher.bats
@@ -1,8 +1,8 @@
 # Test case 11 & 12
 
-setup() {
-    load '../helpers/load'
+load '../helpers/load'
 
+setup() {
     # TODO - Consider implementing a function to check for sudo permissions before running tests that require them.
     # If sudo permissions are not present, these tests should be skipped.
     if is_linux; then
diff --git a/bats/tests/k8s/traefik.bats b/bats/tests/k8s/traefik.bats
index 9a192449912..6caa2cfa84a 100644
--- a/bats/tests/k8s/traefik.bats
+++ b/bats/tests/k8s/traefik.bats
@@ -5,9 +5,7 @@
 
 # Test case 25 & 26
 
-setup() {
-    load '../helpers/load'
-}
+load '../helpers/load'
 
 @test 'factory reset' {
     factory_reset
diff --git a/bats/tests/k8s/up-downgrade-k8s.bats b/bats/tests/k8s/up-downgrade-k8s.bats
index 2329e36f8fb..ce2de5e4b09 100644
--- a/bats/tests/k8s/up-downgrade-k8s.bats
+++ b/bats/tests/k8s/up-downgrade-k8s.bats
@@ -1,9 +1,7 @@
 # Test cases 8, 13, 19
 
-setup() {
-    load '../helpers/load'
-    ARCH_FOR_KUBERLR=amd64
-}
+load '../helpers/load'
+ARCH_FOR_KUBERLR=amd64
 
 @test 'factory reset' {
     factory_reset
diff --git a/bats/tests/k8s/verify-cached-images.bats b/bats/tests/k8s/verify-cached-images.bats
index d2ebff7e7cc..d187f99592e 100644
--- a/bats/tests/k8s/verify-cached-images.bats
+++ b/bats/tests/k8s/verify-cached-images.bats
@@ -1,8 +1,6 @@
 # Test cases 57, 58
 
-setup() {
-    load '../helpers/load'
-}
+load '../helpers/load'
 
 @test 'factory reset' {
     factory_reset
diff --git a/bats/tests/k8s/wordpress.bats b/bats/tests/k8s/wordpress.bats
index 566af251b8e..d309adec8bc 100644
--- a/bats/tests/k8s/wordpress.bats
+++ b/bats/tests/k8s/wordpress.bats
@@ -1,9 +1,8 @@
-setup() {
-    load '../helpers/load'
-    if is_macos arm64; then
-        skip "The bitnami wordpress image is not available for arm64 architecture. Skipping..."
-    fi
-}
+load '../helpers/load'
+
+if is_macos arm64; then
+    fatal "The bitnami wordpress image is not available for arm64 architecture. Skipping..."
+fi
 
 @test 'factory reset' {
     factory_reset
diff --git a/bats/tests/registry/creds.bats b/bats/tests/registry/creds.bats
index 9b2df221b4c..cbdd5a603be 100644
--- a/bats/tests/registry/creds.bats
+++ b/bats/tests/registry/creds.bats
@@ -1,12 +1,6 @@
-teardown_file() {
-    load '../helpers/load'
-    # On Linux if we don't shutdown Rancher Desktop the bats test doesn't shutdown.
-    run rdctl shutdown
-    assert_nothing
-}
+load '../helpers/load'
 
 setup() {
-    load '../helpers/load'
     REGISTRY_IMAGE="registry:2.8.1"
     REGISTRY_PORT="5050"
     DOCKER_CONFIG_FILE="$HOME/.docker/config.json"