# Data Access Decision Record (DADR)

**Product:** Indeed AI Jobs (macOS)  
**Phase:** 2 — Indeed retrieval feasibility  
**Status:** Approved — Option C  
**Date:** 2026-10-12  
**Approved:** 2026-10-12 (product owner)

---

## 1. Decision summary

| Field | Value |
|-------|--------|
| **Chosen production source** | **Licensed Indeed-index provider** (or Indeed partner search channel) that returns **Indeed-only** listings with permitted desktop redistribution and link-back |
| **Interim implementation** | `FixtureIndeedJobDataSource` + mapper (no production network traffic) until vendor contract is live |
| **Rejected for production** | Client-side scraping / unauthorized automated HTML collection |
| **Rejected as seeker search API** | Indeed Job Sync API (employer/partner posting sync — not job-seeker search) |
| **Go / no-go gate** | **Go on Option C.** Live Indeed fetch still waits on a permitted vendor contract; OpenAI (Phase 3) proceeds against mocks/fixtures. |

---

## 2. Context

The app must:

- Show job listings **in-app**
- Use **Indeed-only** results (every open action → Indeed TLD URL via `NSWorkspace`)
- Remain App Store–viable under sandbox + privacy narrative
- Keep ViewModels stable via `IndeedJobDataSource` while the concrete source is swapped

There is **no public Indeed job-seeker search API** suitable for arbitrary third-party desktop search.

---

## 3. Options considered

| Option | Permitted / ToS | Fit for in-app search | Decision |
|--------|-----------------|------------------------|----------|
| **A. Official Job Sync API** | Partner/employer posting API | **Poor** — not a seeker search API | **Out** |
| **B. Client scraping / bots** | Unauthorized automated collection typically prohibited | Technically possible; brittle (CAPTCHA, HTML churn, IP blocks); high legal/ops risk | **Out for production** |
| **C. Licensed Indeed-index / partner feed** | Permitted if contract allows desktop redistribution + Indeed-only index | **Best fit** if vendor confirms fields, geo TLDs, pagination, link-back | **Recommended** |
| **D. Hybrid “open Indeed in browser” only** | Low risk | Does **not** meet “show listings in app” | **Out as sole strategy** |

---

## 4. Recommended decision

**Proceed with Option C** as the production path:

1. Identify and contract a **licensed** provider (or Indeed partnership) whose index is **Indeed-only** (or can be filtered to Indeed-only with contractual guarantee).
2. Implement `IndeedJobDataSource` against that API once credentials and redistribution rights are confirmed.
3. Until then, ship **fixture / sandbox** responses only (`FixtureIndeedJobDataSource`). Keep UI on mocks where appropriate.

**Explicit no-go without approval:** any production adapter that scrapes Indeed HTML or mixes non-Indeed boards.

---

## 5. Contract requirements (must verify with vendor)

Before wiring live traffic:

- [ ] License allows **macOS desktop** redistribution of listing metadata
- [ ] Results are **Indeed-only** (or hard filter with audit)
- [ ] Every result includes a canonical **Indeed job URL** (regional TLD OK)
- [ ] Stable **job key** suitable for dedupe (`indeedJobKey`)
- [ ] Pagination and rate limits documented
- [ ] Field coverage: title, company, location, remote signals, salary (when present), posted date, snippet
- [ ] Expired / closed signals (if any) documented for validation (Phase 4+)

---

## 6. Technical contract (in-repo)

Defined under `Services/Indeed/`:

- `IndeedJobDataSource` — paginated search + error taxonomy
- `IndeedListingMapper` — DTO → `JobListing`
- `IndeedURLCanonicalizer` — regional hosts, `jk=` / path key extraction
- `FixtureIndeedJobDataSource` — sandbox JSON fixtures (no network)

See also [Indeed_Access_Spike.md](Indeed_Access_Spike.md).

---

## 7. App Store / privacy narrative (draft)

> Job listings shown in the app come from a **permitted Indeed data channel**. Opening a listing launches the corresponding page on Indeed. The app does not scrape Indeed’s website. Search queries may later be interpreted by OpenAI (Phase 3); listing content remains Indeed-sourced.

Update Privacy Policy before live fetch ships.

---

## 8. Approval

| Role | Name | Decision | Date |
|------|------|----------|------|
| Product owner | Product owner | **Approved Option C** (licensed/partner Indeed-only path) | 2026-10-12 |

**Live Indeed traffic** still requires a signed vendor/partner contract (section 5). **OpenAI Phase 3** may proceed against mocks/fixtures.