diff --git a/backend/dataconnect/dataconnect.dev.yaml b/backend/dataconnect/dataconnect.dev.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..39e01fdb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/backend/dataconnect/dataconnect.dev.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+specVersion: "v1"
+serviceId: "krow-workforce-db"
+location: "us-central1"
+schema:
+  source: "./schema"
+  datasource:
+    postgresql:
+      database: "krow_db"
+      cloudSql:
+        instanceId: "krow-sql"
+        # schemaValidation: "STRICT"     # STRICT mode makes Postgres schema match Data Connect exactly.
+        # schemaValidation: "COMPATIBLE" # COMPATIBLE mode makes Postgres schema compatible with Data Connect.
+connectorDirs: ["./connector"]
diff --git a/backend/dataconnect/dataconnect.validation.yaml b/backend/dataconnect/dataconnect.validation.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..9e1775d6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/backend/dataconnect/dataconnect.validation.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+specVersion: "v1"
+serviceId: "krow-workforce-db-validation"
+location: "us-central1"
+schema:
+  source: "./schema"
+  datasource:
+    postgresql:
+      database: "krow_db"
+      cloudSql:
+        instanceId: "krow-sql-validation"
+        # schemaValidation: "STRICT"     # STRICT mode makes Postgres schema match Data Connect exactly.
+        # schemaValidation: "COMPATIBLE" # COMPATIBLE mode makes Postgres schema compatible with Data Connect.
+connectorDirs: ["./connector"]
diff --git a/makefiles/dataconnect.mk b/makefiles/dataconnect.mk
index ba7298ef..c2db1fd6 100644
--- a/makefiles/dataconnect.mk
+++ b/makefiles/dataconnect.mk
@@ -1,6 +1,47 @@
 # --- Data Connect / Backend ---
 
-.PHONY: dataconnect-enable-apis dataconnect-init dataconnect-deploy dataconnect-sql-migrate dataconnect-generate-sdk dataconnect-sync dataconnect-bootstrap-db check-gcloud-beta dataconnect-clean
+# Usage examples:
+#   make dataconnect-sync DC_ENV=dev
+#   make dataconnect-seed DC_ENV=validation
+#   make dataconnect-clean DC_ENV=validation
+#   make dataconnect-generate-sdk DC_ENV=dev
+#
+DC_ENV ?= dev
+
+DC_SERVICE_DEV := krow-workforce-db
+DC_SERVICE_VALIDATION := krow-workforce-db-validation
+
+ifeq ($(DC_ENV),dev)
+  DC_SERVICE := $(DC_SERVICE_DEV)
+else ifeq ($(DC_ENV),validation)
+  DC_SERVICE := $(DC_SERVICE_VALIDATION)
+else
+  $(error Invalid DC_ENV '$(DC_ENV)'. Use DC_ENV=dev or DC_ENV=validation)
+endif
+
+.PHONY: dataconnect-enable-apis dataconnect-init dataconnect-deploy dataconnect-sql-migrate dataconnect-generate-sdk dataconnect-sync dataconnect-bootstrap-db check-gcloud-beta dataconnect-clean dataconnect-bootstrap-validation-db dataconnect-file dataconnect-file-validation dataconnect-file-dev dataconnect-seed dataconnect-test
+
+#creation dataconnect file
+dataconnect-file:
+	@echo "--> Starting creation Firebase Data Connect schema file for service [$(DC_SERVICE)]..."
+	@test -f backend/dataconnect/dataconnect.$(DC_ENV).yaml || (echo "❌ Missing backend/dataconnect/dataconnect.$(DC_ENV).yaml" && exit 1)
+	@cp backend/dataconnect/dataconnect.$(DC_ENV).yaml backend/dataconnect/dataconnect.yaml
+	@echo "✅ Creation Data Connect file completed."
+
+#creation dev dataconnect file
+dataconnect-file-dev:
+	@echo "--> Starting creation Firebase Data Connect schema file for service [$(DC_SERVICE)]..."
+	@test -f backend/dataconnect/dataconnect.dev.yaml || (echo "❌ Missing backend/dataconnect/dataconnect.dev.yaml" && exit 1)
+	@cp backend/dataconnect/dataconnect.dev.yaml backend/dataconnect/dataconnect.yaml
+	@echo "✅ Creation Data Connect file completed."
+
+
+#creation validation dataconnect file
+dataconnect-file-validation:
+	@echo "--> Starting creation Firebase Data Connect schema file for service [$(DC_SERVICE)]..."
+	@test -f backend/dataconnect/dataconnect.validation.yaml || (echo "❌ Missing backend/dataconnect/dataconnect.validation.yaml" && exit 1)
+	@cp backend/dataconnect/dataconnect.validation.yaml backend/dataconnect/dataconnect.yaml
+	@echo "✅ Creation Data Connect file completed."
 
 # Enable all required APIs for Firebase Data Connect + Cloud SQL
 dataconnect-enable-apis:
@@ -14,63 +55,94 @@ dataconnect-enable-apis:
 	@echo "✅ APIs enabled for project [$(GCP_PROJECT_ID)]."
 
 # Initialize Firebase Data Connect (interactive wizard).
+# use only once per project
 dataconnect-init:
 	@echo "--> Initializing Firebase Data Connect for alias [$(FIREBASE_ALIAS)] (project: $(GCP_PROJECT_ID))..."
 	@firebase init dataconnect --project $(FIREBASE_ALIAS)
 	@echo "✅ Data Connect initialization command executed. Follow the interactive steps in the CLI."
 
 # Deploy Data Connect schemas (GraphQL → Cloud SQL)
-dataconnect-deploy:
-	@echo "--> Deploying Firebase Data Connect schemas to [$(ENV)] (project: $(FIREBASE_ALIAS))..."
-	@firebase deploy --only dataconnect --project=$(FIREBASE_ALIAS)
+dataconnect-deploy: dataconnect-file
+	@echo "--> Deploying Firebase Data Connect schemas to [$(ENV)] (service: $(DC_SERVICE)) (project: $(FIREBASE_ALIAS))..."
+	@firebase deploy --only dataconnect:$(DC_SERVICE) --project=$(FIREBASE_ALIAS)
 	@echo "✅ Data Connect deployment completed for [$(ENV)]."
 
 # Apply pending SQL migrations for Firebase Data Connect
-dataconnect-sql-migrate:
-	@echo "--> Applying Firebase Data Connect SQL migrations to [$(ENV)] (project: $(FIREBASE_ALIAS))..."
+dataconnect-sql-migrate: dataconnect-file
+	@echo "--> Applying Firebase Data Connect SQL migrations to [$(ENV)] (service: $(DC_SERVICE)) (project: $(FIREBASE_ALIAS))..."
 	@firebase dataconnect:sql:migrate --project=$(FIREBASE_ALIAS)
 	@echo "✅ Data Connect SQL migration completed for [$(ENV)]."
 
 # Generate Data Connect client SDK for frontend-web and internal-api-harness
-dataconnect-generate-sdk:
+dataconnect-generate-sdk: dataconnect-file
 	@echo "--> Generating Firebase Data Connect SDK for web frontend and API harness..."
-	@firebase dataconnect:sdk:generate --project=$(FIREBASE_ALIAS)
+	@firebase dataconnect:sdk:generate  --project=$(FIREBASE_ALIAS)
 	@echo "✅ Data Connect SDK generation completed for [$(ENV)]."
 
 # Unified backend schema update workflow (schema -> deploy -> SDK)
-dataconnect-sync:
-	@echo "--> [1/3] Deploying Data Connect..."
-	@firebase deploy --only dataconnect --project=$(FIREBASE_ALIAS)
-	@echo "--> [2/3] Applying SQL migrations..."
-	@firebase dataconnect:sql:migrate --project=$(FIREBASE_ALIAS)
-	@echo "--> [3/3] Regenerating SDK..."
+dataconnect-sync: dataconnect-file
+	@echo "--> [1/3] Deploying Data Connect [$(DC_SERVICE)]..."
+	@firebase deploy --only dataconnect:$(DC_SERVICE) --project=$(FIREBASE_ALIAS)
+	@echo "--> [2/3] Applying SQL migrations [$(DC_SERVICE)]..."
+	@firebase dataconnect:sql:migrate $(DC_SERVICE) --project=$(FIREBASE_ALIAS) 
+	@echo "--> [3/3] Regenerating SDK [$(DC_SERVICE)]..."
 	@firebase dataconnect:sdk:generate --project=$(FIREBASE_ALIAS)
-	@echo "✅ Data Connect SQL, deploy, and SDK generation completed for [$(ENV)]."
+	@echo "✅ Data Connect SQL, deploy, and SDK generation [$(ENV)]."
 
 # Execute seed in Firebase Data Connect
-dataconnect-seed:
-	@echo "--> Exec seed in Firebase Data Connect..."
-	@firebase dataconnect:execute backend/dataconnect/functions/seed.gql --project=$(FIREBASE_ALIAS)
+dataconnect-seed: dataconnect-file
+	@echo "--> Exec seed in Firebase Data Connect (service: $(DC_SERVICE))..."
+	@firebase dataconnect:execute backend/dataconnect/functions/seed.gql --project=$(FIREBASE_ALIAS) 
 	@echo "✅ Seed executed successfully."
 
 
 # Execute clean, to delete all the data in Firebase Data Connect
-dataconnect-clean:
-	@echo "--> Exec clean all the data in Firebase Data Connect..."
-	@firebase dataconnect:execute backend/dataconnect/functions/clean.gql --project=$(FIREBASE_ALIAS)
+dataconnect-clean: dataconnect-file
+	@echo "--> Exec clean all the data in Firebase Data Connect (service: $(DC_SERVICE))..."
+	@firebase dataconnect:execute backend/dataconnect/functions/clean.gql --project=$(FIREBASE_ALIAS) 
 	@echo "✅ Clean information executed successfully."
 
 # Run tests for Data Connect deployment and migrations
-dataconnect-test:
-	@echo "--> Running Data Connect tests..."
-	@echo "--> [1/3] Deploying Data Connect..."
-	@firebase deploy --only dataconnect --project=$(FIREBASE_ALIAS) --dry-run 
-	@echo "--> [2/3] Applying SQL migrations..." 
+dataconnect-test: dataconnect-file
+	@echo "--> Running Data Connect tests (service: $(DC_SERVICE))..."
+	@echo "--> [1/2] Deploying Data Connect..."
+	@firebase deploy --only dataconnect:$(DC_SERVICE) --project=$(FIREBASE_ALIAS) --dry-run 
+	@echo "--> [2/2] Applying SQL migrations..." 
 	@firebase dataconnect:sql:diff --project=$(FIREBASE_ALIAS)
 	@echo "✅ Data Connect tests completed."
 
+dataconnect-backup-dev-to-validation:
+	@echo "🔍 Validating instances exist in [$(GCP_PROJECT_ID)]..."
+	@if ! gcloud sql instances describe krow-sql --project=$(GCP_PROJECT_ID) >/dev/null 2>&1; then \
+		echo "❌ Dev instance 'krow-sql' not found in project $(GCP_PROJECT_ID)."; \
+		exit 1; \
+	fi
+	@if ! gcloud sql instances describe krow-sql-validation --project=$(GCP_PROJECT_ID) >/dev/null 2>&1; then \
+		echo "❌ Validation instance 'krow-sql-validation' not found in project $(GCP_PROJECT_ID)."; \
+		exit 1; \
+	fi
+	@echo "✅ Instances found."
+
+	@echo "🧰 Creating a backup on dev (krow-sql)..."
+	@gcloud sql backups create --instance=krow-sql --project=$(GCP_PROJECT_ID) >/dev/null
+
+	@echo "🔎 Fetching latest backup ID..."
+	@LATEST_BACKUP_ID="$$(gcloud sql backups list --instance=krow-sql --project=$(GCP_PROJECT_ID) --sort-by=~endTime --limit=1 --format='value(id)')"; \
+	if [ -z "$$LATEST_BACKUP_ID" ]; then \
+		echo "❌ Could not find any backup ID for krow-sql."; \
+		exit 1; \
+	fi; \
+	echo "✅ Latest backup ID: $$LATEST_BACKUP_ID"; \
+	echo "⚠️  Restoring into validation..."; \
+	gcloud sql backups restore $$LATEST_BACKUP_ID \
+		--restore-instance=krow-sql-validation \
+		--backup-instance=krow-sql \
+		--project=$(GCP_PROJECT_ID)
+
+	@echo "🎉 Done."
+
 # -------------------------------------------------------------------
-# ONE-TIME FULL SETUP FOR CLOUD SQL + DATA CONNECT
+# ONE-TIME FULL SETUP FOR CLOUD SQL + DATA CONNECT DEV
 # -------------------------------------------------------------------
 
 # Check if gcloud and beta group are available
@@ -85,7 +157,7 @@ check-gcloud-beta:
 	}
 	@echo "✅ gcloud CLI and 'gcloud beta' are available."
 
-dataconnect-bootstrap-db: check-gcloud-beta
+dataconnect-bootstrap-db: dataconnect-file-dev check-gcloud-beta
 	@echo "🔍 Checking if Cloud SQL instance krow-sql already exists in [$(GCP_PROJECT_ID)]..."
 	@if gcloud sql instances describe krow-sql --project=$(GCP_PROJECT_ID) >/dev/null 2>&1; then \
 		echo "⚠️ Cloud SQL instance 'krow-sql' already exists in project $(GCP_PROJECT_ID)."; \
@@ -112,7 +184,7 @@ dataconnect-bootstrap-db: check-gcloud-beta
 	@echo "⚠️  Creating Firebase Data Connect service identity..."
 	gcloud beta services identity create \
 		--service=firebasedataconnect.googleapis.com \
-		--project=$(GCP_PROJECT_ID)
+		--project=$(GCP_PROJECT_ID) 
 
 	@echo "⚠️  Enabling IAM authentication on Cloud SQL instance krow-sql..."
 	gcloud sql instances patch krow-sql \
@@ -124,9 +196,77 @@ dataconnect-bootstrap-db: check-gcloud-beta
 	firebase dataconnect:sql:setup krow-workforce-db --project=$(FIREBASE_ALIAS)
 
 	@echo "⚠️  Deploying initial Data Connect configuration..."
-	@firebase deploy --only dataconnect --project=$(FIREBASE_ALIAS)
+	@firebase deploy --only dataconnect:$(DC_SERVICE_DEV) --project=$(FIREBASE_ALIAS) 
 
 	@echo "⚠️  Generating initial Data Connect SDK..."
-	@firebase dataconnect:sdk:generate --project=$(FIREBASE_ALIAS)
+	@firebase dataconnect:sdk:generate --project=$(FIREBASE_ALIAS) 
 
 	@echo "🎉 Cloud SQL + Data Connect bootstrap completed successfully!"
+
+
+# -------------------------------------------------------------------
+# ONE-TIME FULL SETUP FOR CLOUD SQL + DATA CONNECT VALIDATEION
+# -------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+# Creates: krow-sql-validation + krow_db (inside it) + links service krow-workforce-db-validation
+# Then clones data from krow-sql -> krow-sql-validation via backup/restore
+
+dataconnect-bootstrap-validation-database: dataconnect-file-validation
+	@echo "🔍 Checking if Cloud SQL instance krow-sql-validation already exists in [$(GCP_PROJECT_ID)]..."
+	@if gcloud sql instances describe krow-sql-validation --project=$(GCP_PROJECT_ID) >/dev/null 2>&1; then \
+		echo "⚠️ Cloud SQL instance 'krow-sql-validation' already exists in project $(GCP_PROJECT_ID)."; \
+		echo "   If you need to recreate it, delete the instance manually first."; \
+		exit 1; \
+	fi
+
+	@echo "⚠️  Creating Cloud SQL instance krow-sql-validation (tier: $(SQL_TIER))..."
+	gcloud sql instances create krow-sql-validation \
+		--database-version=POSTGRES_15 \
+		--tier=$(SQL_TIER) \
+		--region=us-central1 \
+		--storage-size=10 \
+		--storage-auto-increase \
+		--availability-type=zonal \
+		--backup-start-time=03:00 \
+		--project=$(GCP_PROJECT_ID)
+
+	@echo "⚠️  Creating Cloud SQL database krow_db on krow-sql-validation..."
+	gcloud sql databases create krow_db \
+		--instance=krow-sql-validation \
+		--project=$(GCP_PROJECT_ID)
+
+	@echo "⚠️  Enabling IAM authentication on Cloud SQL instance krow-sql-validation..."
+	gcloud sql instances patch krow-sql-validation \
+		--project=$(GCP_PROJECT_ID) \
+		--database-flags=cloudsql.iam_authentication=on \
+		--quiet
+
+	@echo "🔁 Creating a backup on dev instance (krow-sql) to clone data into validation..."
+	@echo "   (Prereq: krow-sql must already exist and be stable.)"
+	gcloud sql backups create --instance=krow-sql --project=$(GCP_PROJECT_ID)
+	echo "✅ Backup creation started. Operation: $$BACKUP_OP"
+
+	@echo "🔎 Fetching latest backup ID from krow-sql..."
+	@BACKUP_ID="$$(gcloud sql backups list --instance=krow-sql --project=$(GCP_PROJECT_ID) --limit=1 --sort-by=~endTime --format='value(id)')"; \
+	if [ -z "$$BACKUP_ID" ]; then \
+		echo "❌ Could not find a backup ID for krow-sql."; \
+		exit 1; \
+	fi; \
+	echo "✅ Latest backup ID: $$BACKUP_ID"; \
+	echo "⚠️  Restoring backup into krow-sql-validation..."; \
+	gcloud sql backups restore $$BACKUP_ID \
+		--restore-instance=krow-sql-validation \
+		--backup-instance=krow-sql \
+		--project=$(GCP_PROJECT_ID)
+
+	@echo "⚠️  Linking Data Connect service (krow-workforce-db-validation) with Cloud SQL..."
+	@echo "   When prompted, select instance: krow-sql-validation and database: krow_db"
+	firebase dataconnect:sql:setup krow-workforce-db-validation --project=$(FIREBASE_ALIAS)
+
+	@echo "⚠️  Deploying Data Connect configuration ($(DC_SERVICE_VALIDATION))..."
+	@firebase deploy --only dataconnect:$(DC_SERVICE_VALIDATION)  --project=$(FIREBASE_ALIAS)
+
+	@echo "⚠️  Generating Data Connect SDK ($(DC_SERVICE))..."
+	@firebase dataconnect:sdk:generate --project=$(FIREBASE_ALIAS)
+
+	@echo "🎉 Validation Cloud SQL + Data Connect bootstrap completed successfully!"