diff --git a/internal/credential/identity_selection.go b/internal/credential/identity_selection.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..875c775d7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/internal/credential/identity_selection.go
@@ -0,0 +1,44 @@
+// Copyright (c) 2026 Lark Technologies Pte. Ltd.
+// SPDX-License-Identifier: MIT
+
+package credential
+
+// CredentialSourceKind is the wire-stable App/credential selection source.
+type CredentialSourceKind string
+
+const (
+	SourceFlagProfile      CredentialSourceKind = "flag:--profile"
+	SourceEnvProfile       CredentialSourceKind = "env:LARKSUITE_CLI_PROFILE"
+	SourceEnvAppID         CredentialSourceKind = "env:LARKSUITE_CLI_APP_ID"
+	SourceConfigCurrentApp CredentialSourceKind = "config:currentApp"
+	SourceConfigFirstApp   CredentialSourceKind = "config:firstApp"
+)
+
+// DirectCredentialEnv describes the state of direct app credential env vars.
+// It never carries a secret value — only names and the non-sensitive app_id.
+type DirectCredentialEnv struct {
+	Present              bool     `json:"present"`
+	Keys                 []string `json:"keys,omitempty"`
+	AppID                string   `json:"appId,omitempty"`
+	Matched              bool     `json:"matched,omitempty"`
+	ConflictsWithProfile bool     `json:"conflictsWithProfile,omitempty"`
+}
+
+// IdentitySelection is the explainable result of credential selection.
+// It carries NO secret value (security: §5.1).
+type IdentitySelection struct {
+	Source              CredentialSourceKind
+	DirectCredentialEnv DirectCredentialEnv
+	Suggestion          string
+}
+
+// Explicit reports whether the identity was actively specified by the
+// user/agent (flag or env), which governs no-fallback behavior.
+func (s IdentitySelection) Explicit() bool {
+	switch s.Source {
+	case SourceFlagProfile, SourceEnvProfile, SourceEnvAppID:
+		return true
+	default:
+		return false
+	}
+}
diff --git a/internal/credential/identity_selection_test.go b/internal/credential/identity_selection_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..326e8753f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/internal/credential/identity_selection_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,25 @@
+// Copyright (c) 2026 Lark Technologies Pte. Ltd.
+// SPDX-License-Identifier: MIT
+
+package credential
+
+import "testing"
+
+func TestIdentitySelectionExplicit(t *testing.T) {
+	cases := []struct {
+		src      CredentialSourceKind
+		explicit bool
+	}{
+		{SourceFlagProfile, true},
+		{SourceEnvProfile, true},
+		{SourceEnvAppID, true},
+		{SourceConfigCurrentApp, false},
+		{SourceConfigFirstApp, false},
+	}
+	for _, c := range cases {
+		sel := IdentitySelection{Source: c.src}
+		if sel.Explicit() != c.explicit {
+			t.Errorf("source %q: Explicit()=%v want %v", c.src, sel.Explicit(), c.explicit)
+		}
+	}
+}