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+# Federated Hashtag Indexing Design
+
+**Date:** 2026-05-16
+**Status:** Approved
+
+## Problem
+
+When a remote ActivityPub Note arrives via the inbox, `accept_note` stores the thought in the `thoughts` table (`local = false`) but never attaches hashtags. As a result, federated content is invisible to tag feeds — `/tags/rust` only shows local posts even when remote servers have sent tagged notes.
+
+## Solution
+
+After persisting the remote thought, extract hashtags from the Note's AP `tag` array and attach them using the existing `TagRepository` infrastructure.
+
+---
+
+## Design
+
+### Hashtag source: AP `tag` array
+
+AP Notes carry a structured `tag` array:
+```json
+[
+  { "type": "Hashtag", "name": "#rust", "href": "https://mastodon.social/tags/rust" },
+  { "type": "Mention", "href": "...", "name": "@alice" }
+]
+```
+
+Filter entries where `type == "Hashtag"`, take `name`, strip the leading `#`, lowercase. Do NOT use `domain::hashtag::extract()` on the raw content — remote content is often HTML and the char-walker would produce false positives inside anchor text.
+
+### `accept_note` return type change
+
+`ActivityPubRepository::accept_note` currently returns `Result<(), DomainError>`. Change to `Result<ThoughtId, DomainError>` so the handler has the ID needed for `attach_to_thought`.
+
+### Handler change
+
+In `crates/adapters/activitypub/src/handler.rs`, after calling `accept_note`:
+
+```rust
+let thought_id = ap_repo.accept_note(...).await?;
+
+// Extract hashtags from AP tag array
+let hashtag_names: Vec<String> = note["tag"]
+    .as_array()
+    .map(|tags| {
+        tags.iter()
+            .filter(|t| t["type"].as_str() == Some("Hashtag"))
+            .filter_map(|t| t["name"].as_str())
+            .map(|name| name.trim_start_matches('#').to_lowercase())
+            .filter(|name| !name.is_empty())
+            .collect()
+    })
+    .unwrap_or_default();
+
+for name in hashtag_names {
+    if let Ok(tag) = tag_repo.find_or_create(&name).await {
+        let _ = tag_repo.attach_to_thought(&thought_id, tag.id).await;
+    }
+}
+```
+
+Tag failures are silenced (`let _ = ...`) — a tag attachment failure should not cause the entire note ingestion to fail.
+
+### Dependency injection
+
+The AP handler struct gains `tag_repo: Arc<dyn TagRepository>`. Wired in `crates/bootstrap/src/` alongside the existing handler dependencies.
+
+---
+
+## Files Changed
+
+| File | Change |
+|---|---|
+| `crates/domain/src/ports.rs` | `ActivityPubRepository::accept_note` return type: `() → ThoughtId` |
+| `crates/adapters/postgres/src/activitypub.rs` | Return `ThoughtId` from `accept_note` impl |
+| `crates/adapters/activitypub/src/handler.rs` | Add `tag_repo` field; extract + attach hashtags after `accept_note` |
+| `crates/bootstrap/src/factory.rs` | Inject `TagRepository` into AP handler |
+
+---
+
+## What This Does Not Cover
+
+- Backfilling existing remote thoughts already in the DB (only new incoming notes get tagged)
+- Updating tags when a remote Edit activity arrives for a previously accepted note
+- Federated search (search still queries local thoughts only; this only fixes tag feeds)