README.md

@@ -191,7 +191,9 @@ Authentication:
   - Updates an application; records a `StatusChanged` event if the status changed.
 - `PATCH /api/jobapplications/{id}/status`
   - Body: `{ "status": "..." }`
-  - Updates only status; records `StatusChanged` if it changed.
+  - Updates only status; records `StatusChanged` if it changed. The status is normalized against the canonical pipeline (casing + known synonyms like `Interviewing`→`Interview`); unrecognized values are preserved as custom statuses.
+- `GET /api/jobapplications/pipeline`
+  - Returns the canonical ordered pipeline stages (`Applied, Waiting, Interview, Offer, Rejected, Ghosted`) with display order and category (`Active`/`Success`/`Closed`). The UI renders board columns and status dropdowns from this single source of truth.
 - `PATCH /api/jobapplications/{id}/followup`
   - Body: `{ "followUpAt": "2026-03-13T12:00:00Z" }` (or `null`)
   - Sets/clears follow-up date; records a `FollowUpSet` event.

job-tracker-ui/src/components/AddJobModal.tsx

@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@ import { Company, JobImportResult } from "../types";
 import { invalidateCompaniesCache, useCompanies } from "../hooks/useCompanies";
 import { useToast } from "../toast";
 import { useI18n } from "../i18n/I18nProvider";
+import { PIPELINE_STATUSES, statusLabel as pipelineStatusLabel } from "../pipeline";
 import TagsInput from "./TagsInput";
 
 interface Props {
@@ -60,7 +61,6 @@ type CreatedJobResponse = {
 type AttachmentBucketKey = "resume" | "coverLetter" | "portfolio" | "other";
 type AttachmentBuckets = Record<AttachmentBucketKey, File[]>;
 
-const STATUS_OPTIONS = ["Applied", "Waiting", "Interview", "Offer", "Rejected", "Ghosted"] as const;
 const ACCEPTED_DOCUMENT_TYPES = ".pdf,.doc,.docx,.txt,.md,image/*,application/pdf,application/msword,application/vnd.openxmlformats-officedocument.wordprocessingml.document,text/plain,text/markdown";
 const FIELD_SX = { "& .MuiInputBase-root": { minHeight: 56 } };
 const PICKER_TEXT_FIELD_PROPS = { fullWidth: true, sx: FIELD_SX };
@@ -115,7 +115,7 @@ export default function AddJobModal({ open, onClose, onCreated }: Props) {
 
   const [dateApplied, setDateApplied] = useState(() => getTodayIso());
   const [jobTitle, setJobTitle] = useState("");
-  const [status, setStatus] = useState<(typeof STATUS_OPTIONS)[number]>("Applied");
+  const [status, setStatus] = useState<(typeof PIPELINE_STATUSES)[number]>("Applied");
   const [location, setLocation] = useState("");
   const [salary, setSalary] = useState("");
   const [salaryMin, setSalaryMin] = useState("");
@@ -350,18 +350,6 @@ export default function AddJobModal({ open, onClose, onCreated }: Props) {
     }));
   };
 
-  const statusLabel = (value: typeof STATUS_OPTIONS[number]) => {
-    const map = {
-      Applied: t("statusApplied"),
-      Waiting: t("statusWaiting"),
-      Interview: t("statusInterview"),
-      Offer: t("statusOffer"),
-      Rejected: t("statusRejected"),
-      Ghosted: t("statusGhosted"),
-    } as const;
-    return map[value];
-  };
-
   const filesLabel = (files: File[]) => {
     if (files.length === 0) return t("addJobModalNoFilesSelected");
     if (files.length === 1) return files[0].name;
@@ -479,9 +467,9 @@ export default function AddJobModal({ open, onClose, onCreated }: Props) {
           />
 
           <TextField select label={t("addJobModalStatus")} value={status} onChange={(e) => setStatus(e.target.value as any)} sx={FIELD_SX}>
-            {STATUS_OPTIONS.map((s) => (
+            {PIPELINE_STATUSES.map((s) => (
               <MenuItem key={s} value={s}>
-                {statusLabel(s)}
+                {pipelineStatusLabel(t, s)}
               </MenuItem>
             ))}
           </TextField>

job-tracker-ui/src/components/EditJobDialog.tsx

@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@ import { useToast } from "../toast";
 import { useCompanies } from "../hooks/useCompanies";
 import TagsInput from "./TagsInput";
 import { useI18n } from "../i18n/I18nProvider";
+import { PIPELINE_STATUSES, statusLabel } from "../pipeline";
 
 interface Props {
   open: boolean;
@@ -32,7 +33,6 @@ interface Props {
   onSaved: () => void;
 }
 
-const STATUS_OPTIONS = ["Applied", "Waiting", "Interview", "Offer", "Rejected", "Ghosted"] as const;
 const FIELD_SX = { "& .MuiInputBase-root": { minHeight: 56 } };
 const PICKER_TEXT_FIELD_PROPS = { fullWidth: true, sx: FIELD_SX };
 
@@ -207,7 +207,7 @@ export default function EditJobDialog({ open, jobId, onClose, onSaved }: Props)
             <Typography variant="overline" sx={{ color: "text.secondary" }}>{t("editJobStatusUpdate")}</Typography>
             <Box sx={{ display: "grid", gridTemplateColumns: { xs: "1fr", md: "1fr 1fr 1fr" }, gap: 2, mt: 1 }}>
               <TextField select label={t("editJobCurrentStatus")} value={status} onChange={(e) => setStatus(e.target.value)} sx={FIELD_SX}>
-                {STATUS_OPTIONS.map((s) => <MenuItem key={s} value={s}>{s}</MenuItem>)}
+                {PIPELINE_STATUSES.map((s) => <MenuItem key={s} value={s}>{statusLabel(t, s)}</MenuItem>)}
               </TextField>
               <DatePicker label={t("editJobStatusChangedOn")} value={parsePickerDate(statusChangedAt)} onChange={(value) => setStatusChangedAt(toPickerIso(value))} slotProps={{ textField: { ...PICKER_TEXT_FIELD_PROPS, helperText: status === initialStatus ? t("editJobStatusChangedHelpIdle") : t("editJobStatusChangedHelpActive") } }} />
               <Box sx={{ display: "flex", alignItems: "center" }}><FormControlLabel control={<Checkbox checked={responseReceived} onChange={(e) => setResponseReceived(e.target.checked)} />} label={t("editJobReplyReceived")} /></Box>

job-tracker-ui/src/components/JobTable.tsx

@@ -45,6 +45,7 @@ import ViewStateNotice from "./ViewStateNotice";
 import { useCompanies } from "../hooks/useCompanies";
 import { useDebouncedValue } from "../hooks/useDebouncedValue";
 import { formatSalary } from "../salary";
+import { statusLabel, statusTone } from "../pipeline";
 import JobDetailsDialog from "./JobDetailsDialog";
 import EditJobDialog from "./EditJobDialog";
 import { useToast } from "../toast";
@@ -98,10 +99,6 @@ interface Props {
   mode?: "jobs" | "trash";
 }
 
-function normalizeStatus(status: string): string {
-  return status === "Interviewing" ? "Interview" : status;
-}
-
 function parseTags(raw?: string | null): string[] {
   if (!raw) return [];
   try {
@@ -112,21 +109,6 @@ function parseTags(raw?: string | null): string[] {
   }
 }
 
-function statusTone(status: string): string {
-  switch (normalizeStatus(status)) {
-    case "Offer":
-      return "success";
-    case "Rejected":
-      return "error";
-    case "Waiting":
-    case "Ghosted":
-      return "warning";
-    case "Interview":
-      return "info";
-    default:
-      return "primary";
-  }
-}
 
 function generateOverview(job: JobApplication): string {
   if (job.fullSummary) return job.fullSummary;
@@ -547,7 +529,7 @@ export default function JobTable({ refreshToken, pageSize, onPageSizeChange, col
                           </Typography>
                         </Box>
                       </Box>
-                      {columns.status ? <Chip label={normalizeStatus(job.status)} size="small" color={toneName as any} sx={{ fontWeight: 800 }} /> : null}
+                      {columns.status ? <Chip label={statusLabel(t, job.status)} size="small" color={toneName as any} sx={{ fontWeight: 800 }} /> : null}
                     </Box>
 
                     <Box sx={{ display: "flex", gap: 0.75, flexWrap: "wrap" }}>
@@ -695,7 +677,7 @@ export default function JobTable({ refreshToken, pageSize, onPageSizeChange, col
                             ))}
                           </Box>
                         </TableCell>
-                        {columns.status ? <TableCell><Chip label={normalizeStatus(job.status)} size="small" color={toneName as any} /></TableCell> : null}
+                        {columns.status ? <TableCell><Chip label={statusLabel(t, job.status)} size="small" color={toneName as any} /></TableCell> : null}
                         {columns.dateApplied ? <TableCell>{appliedDateLabel}</TableCell> : null}
                         {columns.daysSince ? <TableCell>{job.daysSince}</TableCell> : null}
                         {columns.jobUrl ? <TableCell>{job.jobUrl ? <a href={job.jobUrl} target="_blank" rel="noreferrer">{t("jobTableLink")}</a> : ""}</TableCell> : null}

job-tracker-ui/src/components/KanbanBoard.tsx

@@ -19,41 +19,22 @@ import ViewStateNotice from "./ViewStateNotice";
 import { JobApplication } from "../types";
 import { useI18n } from "../i18n/I18nProvider";
 import { useViewResource } from "../hooks/useViewResource";
+import { PIPELINE_STATUSES, PipelineStatus, normalizeStatus, statusLabel, statusTone } from "../pipeline";
 
-const STATUSES = ["Applied", "Waiting", "Interview", "Offer", "Rejected", "Ghosted"] as const;
+const STATUSES = PIPELINE_STATUSES;
-type Status = (typeof STATUSES)[number];
+type Status = PipelineStatus;
 
-function normalizeStatus(status: string): Status | "Other" {
+const TONE_PALETTE: Record<string, (theme: any) => string> = {
-  if (status === "Interviewing") return "Interview";
+  error: (theme) => theme.palette.error.main,
-  if ((STATUSES as readonly string[]).includes(status)) return status as Status;
+  warning: (theme) => theme.palette.warning.main,
-  return "Other";
+  success: (theme) => theme.palette.success.main,
-}
+  info: (theme) => alpha(theme.palette.primary.main, 0.95),
+  primary: (theme) => theme.palette.primary.main,
+  default: (theme) => theme.palette.primary.main,
+};
 
 function toneColor(theme: any, status: Status | "Other"): string {
-  if (status === "Rejected") return theme.palette.error.main;
+  return TONE_PALETTE[statusTone(status)](theme);
-  if (status === "Waiting" || status === "Ghosted") return theme.palette.warning.main;
-  if (status === "Offer") return theme.palette.success.main;
-  if (status === "Interview") return alpha(theme.palette.primary.main, 0.95);
-  return theme.palette.primary.main;
-}
-
-function statusLabel(t: (key: any, params?: any) => string, status: Status): string {
-  switch (status) {
-    case "Applied":
-      return t("statusApplied");
-    case "Waiting":
-      return t("statusWaiting");
-    case "Interview":
-      return t("statusInterview");
-    case "Offer":
-      return t("statusOffer");
-    case "Rejected":
-      return t("statusRejected");
-    case "Ghosted":
-      return t("statusGhosted");
-    default:
-      return status;
-  }
 }
 
 export default function KanbanBoard() {

job-tracker-ui/src/pipeline.test.ts

@@ -0,0 +1,37 @@
+import { normalizeStatus, statusTone, statusLabel, PIPELINE_STATUSES } from './pipeline';
+
+describe('pipeline', () => {
+  test('normalizeStatus canonicalizes casing and synonyms', () => {
+    expect(normalizeStatus('applied')).toBe('Applied');
+    expect(normalizeStatus('  OFFER ')).toBe('Offer');
+    expect(normalizeStatus('Interviewing')).toBe('Interview');
+    expect(normalizeStatus('declined')).toBe('Rejected');
+  });
+
+  test('normalizeStatus preserves unknown as Other and empty as Applied', () => {
+    expect(normalizeStatus('Take-home')).toBe('Other');
+    expect(normalizeStatus('')).toBe('Applied');
+    expect(normalizeStatus(null)).toBe('Applied');
+  });
+
+  test('statusTone maps stages to palette keys', () => {
+    expect(statusTone('Offer')).toBe('success');
+    expect(statusTone('Rejected')).toBe('error');
+    expect(statusTone('Waiting')).toBe('warning');
+    expect(statusTone('Ghosted')).toBe('warning');
+    expect(statusTone('Interview')).toBe('info');
+    expect(statusTone('Applied')).toBe('primary');
+    expect(statusTone('Take-home')).toBe('default');
+  });
+
+  test('statusLabel localizes canonical and passes through custom', () => {
+    const t = (key: string) => ({ statusApplied: 'Applied', statusOffer: 'Offer' } as Record<string, string>)[key] ?? key;
+    expect(statusLabel(t, 'Applied')).toBe('Applied');
+    expect(statusLabel(t, 'Interviewing')).toBe('statusInterview'); // maps to canonical key
+    expect(statusLabel(t, 'Take-home assignment')).toBe('Take-home assignment');
+  });
+
+  test('canonical stage list is stable and ordered', () => {
+    expect(PIPELINE_STATUSES).toEqual(['Applied', 'Waiting', 'Interview', 'Offer', 'Rejected', 'Ghosted']);
+  });
+});

job-tracker-ui/src/pipeline.ts

@@ -0,0 +1,64 @@
+// Single frontend source of truth for the canonical job pipeline.
+// Mirrors the backend JobPipeline (JobTrackerApi/Services/JobPipeline.cs); keep the two in sync.
+
+export const PIPELINE_STATUSES = ["Applied", "Waiting", "Interview", "Offer", "Rejected", "Ghosted"] as const;
+
+export type PipelineStatus = (typeof PIPELINE_STATUSES)[number];
+
+export type StatusTone = "primary" | "info" | "success" | "warning" | "error" | "default";
+
+// Legacy/synonym spellings collapse onto a canonical stage (matches the backend alias map).
+const ALIASES: Record<string, PipelineStatus> = {
+  interviewing: "Interview",
+  interviews: "Interview",
+  interviewed: "Interview",
+  declined: "Rejected",
+  "no response": "Ghosted",
+  "no reply": "Ghosted",
+  pending: "Waiting",
+  "awaiting response": "Waiting",
+};
+
+/** Canonical status for a raw value, or "Other" for unknown/custom statuses. */
+export function normalizeStatus(status?: string | null): PipelineStatus | "Other" {
+  const trimmed = (status ?? "").trim();
+  if (!trimmed) return "Applied";
+  const exact = PIPELINE_STATUSES.find((s) => s.toLowerCase() === trimmed.toLowerCase());
+  if (exact) return exact;
+  const alias = ALIASES[trimmed.toLowerCase()];
+  return alias ?? "Other";
+}
+
+/** MUI palette key for a status; both chip color and board accent derive from this. */
+export function statusTone(status?: string | null): StatusTone {
+  switch (normalizeStatus(status)) {
+    case "Offer":
+      return "success";
+    case "Rejected":
+      return "error";
+    case "Waiting":
+    case "Ghosted":
+      return "warning";
+    case "Interview":
+      return "info";
+    case "Applied":
+      return "primary";
+    default:
+      return "default";
+  }
+}
+
+const LABEL_KEYS: Record<PipelineStatus, string> = {
+  Applied: "statusApplied",
+  Waiting: "statusWaiting",
+  Interview: "statusInterview",
+  Offer: "statusOffer",
+  Rejected: "statusRejected",
+  Ghosted: "statusGhosted",
+};
+
+/** Localized label for a status, falling back to the raw value for custom statuses. */
+export function statusLabel(t: (key: any, params?: any) => string, status: string): string {
+  const normalized = normalizeStatus(status);
+  return normalized === "Other" ? status : t(LABEL_KEYS[normalized]);
+}