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scorer: Path Validity scores a false 0 for html-transport CLIs #3459

Description

@Ro-28

Summary

Scorecard's Path Validity dimension probes endpoint paths expecting JSON responses. An html-transport CLI returns HTML on every path, so the dimension scores 0/10 even when all paths are proven working live. This is a false 0 for a whole CLI class, not a real defect.

Impact

Recurs for every html-transport CLI (same subclass as the generator html-read bug). Low functional harm, real signal harm: the CLI ships with a depressed grade (adoptapet: 74–75 vs. what it earns) and a maintainer reading the scorecard misreads a working CLI as broken.

Durable fix

In the Path Validity check, read the resource's response_format. For html resources, treat a successful 2xx HTML fetch as a valid path — or mark the dimension N/A and redistribute weight, mirroring how live_api_verification already handles N/A shapes.

Acceptance

  • positive: an all-response_format: html spec scores N/A (or full) on Path Validity.
  • negative: a json spec still penalizes a path that returns HTML (soft-404 / auth wall).

Evidence

adoptapet-pp-cli scorecard: scorecard.steinberger.path_validity => 0 with all paths live-verified (42 pets parsed, full profile, shelters). Per the cardinal rule this was left un-worked-around in the printed CLI and filed here.

Filed from Printing Press retro: run 20260704-224408-b4a97e4d (adoptapet — first html-transport CLI).

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