bmad-method 4.27.5 → 5.0.0

package/docs/GUIDING-PRINCIPLES.md

@@ -1,91 +0,0 @@
-# BMad Method Guiding Principles
-
-The BMad Method is a natural language framework for AI-assisted software development. These principles ensure contributions maintain the method's effectiveness.
-
-## Core Principles
-
-### 1. Dev Agents Must Be Lean
-
-- **Minimize dev agent dependencies**: Development agents that work in IDEs must have minimal context overhead
-- **Save context for code**: Every line counts - dev agents should focus on coding, not documentation
-- **Web agents can be larger**: Planning agents (PRD Writer, Architect) used in web UI can have more complex tasks and dependencies
-- **Small files, loaded on demand**: Multiple small, focused files are better than large files with many branches
-
-### 2. Natural Language First
-
-- **Everything is markdown**: Agents, tasks, templates - all written in plain English
-- **No code in core**: The framework itself contains no programming code, only natural language instructions
-- **Self-contained templates**: Templates are defined as YAML files with structured sections that include metadata, workflow configuration, and detailed instructions for content generation
-
-### 3. Agent and Task Design
-
-- **Agents define roles**: Each agent is a persona with specific expertise (e.g., Frontend Developer, API Developer)
-- **Tasks are procedures**: Step-by-step instructions an agent follows to complete work
-- **Templates are outputs**: Structured documents with embedded instructions for generation
-- **Dependencies matter**: Explicitly declare only what's needed
-
-## Practical Guidelines
-
-### When to Add to Core
-
-- Universal software development needs only
-- Doesn't bloat dev agent contexts
-- Follows existing agent/task/template patterns
-
-### When to Create Expansion Packs
-
-- Domain-specific needs beyond software development
-- Non-technical domains (business, wellness, education, creative)
-- Specialized technical domains (games, infrastructure, mobile)
-- Heavy documentation or knowledge bases
-- Anything that would bloat core agents
-
-See [Expansion Packs Guide](../docs/expansion-packs.md) for detailed examples and ideas.
-
-### Agent Design Rules
-
-1. **Web/Planning Agents**: Can have richer context, multiple tasks, extensive templates
-2. **Dev Agents**: Minimal dependencies, focused on code generation, lean task sets
-3. **All Agents**: Clear persona, specific expertise, well-defined capabilities
-
-### Task Writing Rules
-
-1. Write clear step-by-step procedures
-2. Use markdown formatting for readability
-3. Keep dev agent tasks focused and concise
-4. Planning tasks can be more elaborate
-5. **Prefer multiple small tasks over one large branching task**
-   - Instead of one task with many conditional paths
-   - Create multiple focused tasks the agent can choose from
-   - This keeps context overhead minimal
-6. **Reuse common tasks** - Don't create new document creation tasks
-   - Use the existing `create-doc` task
-   - Pass the appropriate YAML template with structured sections
-   - This maintains consistency and reduces duplication
-
-### Template Rules
-
-Templates follow the [BMad Document Template](common/utils/bmad-doc-template.md) specification using YAML format:
-
-1. **Structure**: Templates are defined in YAML with clear metadata, workflow configuration, and section hierarchy
-2. **Separation of Concerns**: Instructions for LLMs are in `instruction` fields, separate from content
-3. **Reusability**: Templates are agent-agnostic and can be used across different agents
-4. **Key Components**:
-   - `template` block for metadata (id, name, version, output settings)
-   - `workflow` block for interaction mode configuration
-   - `sections` array defining document structure with nested subsections
-   - Each section has `id`, `title`, and `instruction` fields
-5. **Advanced Features**:
-   - Variable substitution using `{{variable_name}}` syntax
-   - Conditional sections with `condition` field
-   - Repeatable sections with `repeatable: true`
-   - Agent permissions with `owner` and `editors` fields
-   - Examples arrays for guidance (never included in output)
-6. **Clean Output**: YAML structure ensures all processing logic stays separate from generated content
-
-## Remember
-
-- The power is in natural language orchestration, not code
-- Dev agents code, planning agents plan
-- Keep dev agents lean for maximum coding efficiency
-- Expansion packs handle specialized domains

package/docs/agentic-tools/claude-code-guide.md

@@ -1,19 +0,0 @@
-# BMad Method Guide for Claude Code
-
-For the complete workflow, see the [BMad Workflow Guide](../bmad-workflow-guide.md).
-
-## Installation
-
-When running `npx bmad-method install`, select **Claude Code** as your IDE. This creates:
-
-- `.bmad-core/` folder with all agents
-- `.claude/commands/` folder with agent command files (`.md`)
-
-## Using BMad Agents in Claude Code
-
-Type `/agent-name` in your chat to activate an agent.
-
-## Tips for Claude Code Users
-
-- Commands are auto-suggested as you type `/`
-- More coming soon...

package/docs/agentic-tools/cline-guide.md

@@ -1,16 +0,0 @@
-# BMad Method Guide for Cline (VS Code)
-
-For the complete workflow, see the [BMad Workflow Guide](../bmad-workflow-guide.md).
-
-## Installation
-
-When running `npx bmad-method install`, select **Cline** as your IDE. This creates:
-
-- `.clinerules/` directory with numbered agent rule files (`.md`)
-- Agents ordered by priority (bmad-master first)
-
-## Using BMad Agents in Cline
-
-1. **Open Cline panel** in VS Code
-2. **Type `@agent-name`** in the chat (e.g., `@dev`, `@sm`, `@architect`)
-3. The agent adopts that persona for the conversation

package/docs/agentic-tools/cursor-guide.md

@@ -1,14 +0,0 @@
-# BMad Method Guide for Cursor
-
-For the complete workflow, see the [BMad Workflow Guide](../bmad-workflow-guide.md).
-
-## Installation
-
-When running `npx bmad-method install`, select **Cursor** as your IDE. This creates:
-
-- `.bmad-core/` folder with all agents
-- `.cursor/rules/` folder with agent rule files (`.mdc`)
-
-## Using BMad Agents in Cursor
-
-Type `@agent-name` in chat (Ctrl+L / Cmd+L) to activate an agent. Make sure you select the icon that looks like a small ruler if presented with multiple options in the popup window.

package/docs/agentic-tools/gemini-cli-guide.md

@@ -1,32 +0,0 @@
-# BMad Method Guide for Gemini CLI
-
-For the complete workflow, see the [BMad Workflow Guide](../bmad-workflow-guide.md).
-
-## Installation
-
-When running `npx bmad-method install`, select **Gemini CLI** as your IDE. This creates:
-
-- `.gemini/agents/` directory with all agent context files
-- `.gemini/settings.json` configured to load all agents automatically
-
-## Using BMad Agents with Gemini CLI
-
-Simply mention the agent in your prompt:
-
-- "As @dev, implement the login feature"
-- "Acting as @architect, review this system design"
-- "@sm, create the next story for our project"
-
-The Gemini CLI automatically loads the appropriate agent context.
-
-## Gemini CLI-Specific Features
-
-- **Context files**: All agents loaded as context in `.gemini/agents/`
-- **Automatic loading**: Settings.json ensures agents are always available
-- **Natural language**: No special syntax needed, just mention the agent
-
-## Tips for Gemini CLI Users
-
-- Be explicit about which agent you're addressing
-- You can switch agents mid-conversation by mentioning a different one
-- The CLI maintains context across your session

package/docs/agentic-tools/github-copilot-guide.md

@@ -1,42 +0,0 @@
-# BMad Method Guide for GitHub Copilot
-
-For the complete workflow, see the [BMad Workflow Guide](../bmad-workflow-guide.md).
-
-## Installation
-
-When running `npx bmad-method install`, select **GitHub Copilot** as your IDE. This command will perform the following actions:
-
-- Create the `.bmad-core/` directory with all the agent rule files.
-- Create the `.vscode/` directory and add a `settings.json` file if it does not already exist, and add the basic configuration to enable GitHub Copilot's agent mode.
-- Create a chatmodes file under your .github folder for each specific agent being added
-
-## Using BMAD Agents in GitHub Copilot
-
-1.  **Open GitHub Copilot chat** in VS Code (`⌃⌘I` on Mac, `Ctrl+Alt+I` on Windows/Linux).
-2.  Select the agent you want to use from the chat input's participant selector (e.g., `@workspace` > `dev`).
-3.  The agent adopts that persona for the conversation.
-4.  Use `*help` to see the commands available for the selected agent.
-
-## Available Agents
-
-You can switch between agents using the chat participant selector. The following agents are available for GitHub Copilot:
-
-- `bmad-master` - Master Task Executor
-- `dev` - Development expert
-- `qa` - Quality Assurance specialist
-- `ux-expert` - UX specialist
-
-## GitHub Copilot-Specific Features
-
-- **Settings**: Use the `.vscode/settings.json` file to configure Copilot behavior. The installer can configure these for you.
-  - `chat.agent.maxRequests`: Maximum requests per agent session (recommended: 15).
-  - `github.copilot.chat.agent.runTasks`: Allow agents to run workspace tasks (e.g., from `package.json` scripts).
-  - `github.copilot.chat.agent.autoFix`: Enable automatic error detection and fixing in generated code.
-  - `chat.tools.autoApprove`: Auto-approve ALL tools without confirmation (use with caution).
-- **VS Code integration**: Works within VS Code's GitHub Copilot chat panel.
-- **Tool Confirmation**: Copilot will ask for confirmation before running tools that can modify files. You can approve a tool once, for the session, or always.
-
-## Tips for GitHub Copilot Users
-
-- You can use a `.github/copilot-instructions.md` file to provide additional context or instructions for your projects that are not covered by the BMAD framework.
-- BMAD agents can come with a pre-configured set of tools. You can see which tools an agent uses by looking at the `tools` section in its `.github/chatmodes/[agent].chatmode.md` file.

package/docs/agentic-tools/roo-code-guide.md

@@ -1,15 +0,0 @@
-# BMad Method Guide for Roo Code
-
-For the complete workflow, see the [BMad Workflow Guide](../bmad-workflow-guide.md).
-
-## Installation
-
-When running `npx bmad-method install`, select **Roo Code** as your IDE. This creates:
-
-- `.bmad-core/` folder with all agents
-- `.roomodes` file in project root with custom modes
-
-## Roo Code-Specific Features
-
-- **Mode file**: `.roomodes` in project root
-- **Mode switching**: Use mode selecto

package/docs/agentic-tools/trae-guide.md

@@ -1,14 +0,0 @@
-# BMad Method Guide for Trae
-
-For the complete workflow, see the [BMad Workflow Guide](../bmad-workflow-guide.md).
-
-## Installation
-
-When running `npx bmad-method install`, select **Trae** as your IDE. This creates:
-
-- `.bmad-core/` folder with all agents
-- `.trae/rules/` folder with agent rule files (`.md`)
-
-## Using BMad Agents in Trae
-
-Type `@agent-name` in chat to activate an agent.

package/docs/agentic-tools/windsurf-guide.md

@@ -1,14 +0,0 @@
-# BMad Method Guide for Windsurf
-
-For the complete workflow, see the [BMad Workflow Guide](../bmad-workflow-guide.md).
-
-## Installation
-
-When running `npx bmad-method install`, select **Windsurf** as your IDE. This creates:
-
-- `.bmad-core/` folder with all agents
-- `.windsurf/rules/` folder with agent rule files (`.md`)
-
-## Using BMad Agents in Windsurf
-
-Type `@agent-name` in chat to activate an agent.

package/docs/core-architecture.md

@@ -1,219 +0,0 @@
-# BMad Method: Core Architecture
-
-## 1. Overview
-
-The BMad Method is designed to provide agentic modes, tasks and templates to allow repeatable helpful workflows be it for agile agentic development, or expansion into vastly different domains. The core purpose of the project is to provide a structured yet flexible set of prompts, templates, and workflows that users can employ to guide AI agents (like Gemini, Claude, or ChatGPT) to perform complex tasks, guided discussions, or other meaningful domain specific flows in a predictable, high-quality manner.
-
-The systems core module facilitates a full development lifecycle tailored to the challenges of current modern AI Agentic tooling:
-
-1. **Ideation & Planning**: Brainstorming, market research, and creating project briefs.
-2. **Architecture & Design**: Defining system architecture and UI/UX specifications.
-3. **Development Execution**: A cyclical workflow where a Scrum Master (SM) agent drafts stories with extremely specific context and a Developer (Dev) agent implements them one at a time. This process works for both new (Greenfield) and existing (Brownfield) projects.
-
-## 2. System Architecture Diagram
-
-The entire BMad-Method ecosystem is designed around the installed `bmad-core` directory, which acts as the brain of the operation. The `tools` directory provides the means to process and package this brain for different environments.
-
-```mermaid
-graph TD
-    subgraph BMad Method Project
-        subgraph Core Framework
-            A["bmad-core"]
-            A --> B["agents"]
-            A --> C["agent-teams"]
-            A --> D["workflows"]
-            A --> E["templates"]
-            A --> F["tasks"]
-            A --> G["checklists"]
-            A --> H["data (KB)"]
-        end
-
-        subgraph Tooling
-            I["tools/builders/web-builder.js"]
-        end
-
-        subgraph Outputs
-            J["dist"]
-        end
-
-        B -- defines dependencies for --> E
-        B -- defines dependencies for --> F
-        B -- defines dependencies for --> G
-        B -- defines dependencies for --> H
-
-        C -- bundles --> B
-        I -- reads from --> A
-        I -- creates --> J
-    end
-
-    subgraph Target Environments
-        K["IDE (Cursor, VS Code, etc.)"]
-        L["Web UI (Gemini, ChatGPT)"]
-    end
-
-    B --> K
-    J --> L
-
-    style A fill:#1a73e8,color:#fff
-    style I fill:#f9ab00,color:#fff
-    style J fill:#34a853,color:#fff
-```
-
-## 3. Core Components
-
-The `bmad-core` directory contains all the definitions and resources that give the agents their capabilities.
-
-### 3.1. Agents (`bmad-core/agents/`)
-
-- **Purpose**: These are the foundational building blocks of the system. Each markdown file (e.g., `bmad-master.md`, `pm.md`, `dev.md`) defines the persona, capabilities, and dependencies of a single AI agent.
-- **Structure**: An agent file contains a YAML header that specifies its role, persona, dependencies, and startup instructions. These dependencies are lists of tasks, templates, checklists, and data files that the agent is allowed to use.
-- **Startup Instructions**: Agents can include startup sequences that load project-specific documentation from the `docs/` folder, such as coding standards, API specifications, or project structure documents. This provides immediate project context upon activation.
-- **Document Integration**: Agents can reference and load documents from the project's `docs/` folder as part of tasks, workflows, or startup sequences. Users can also drag documents directly into chat interfaces to provide additional context.
-- **Example**: The `bmad-master` agent lists its dependencies, which tells the build tool which files to include in a web bundle and informs the agent of its own capabilities.
-
-### 3.2. Agent Teams (`bmad-core/agent-teams/`)
-
-- **Purpose**: Team files (e.g., `team-all.yaml`) define collections of agents and workflows that are bundled together for a specific purpose, like "full-stack development" or "backend-only". This creates a larger, pre-packaged context for web UI environments.
-- **Structure**: A team file lists the agents to include. It can use wildcards, such as `"*"` to include all agents. This allows for the creation of comprehensive bundles like `team-all`.
-
-### 3.3. Workflows (`bmad-core/workflows/`)
-
-- **Purpose**: Workflows are YAML files (e.g., `greenfield-fullstack.yaml`) that define a prescribed sequence of steps and agent interactions for a specific project type. They act as a strategic guide for the user and the `bmad-orchestrator` agent.
-- **Structure**: A workflow defines sequences for both complex and simple projects, lists the agents involved at each step, the artifacts they create, and the conditions for moving from one step to the next. It often includes a Mermaid diagram for visualization.
-
-### 3.4. Reusable Resources (`templates`, `tasks`, `checklists`, `data`)
-
-- **Purpose**: These folders house the modular components that are dynamically loaded by agents based on their dependencies.
-  - **`templates/`**: Contains markdown templates for common documents like PRDs, architecture specifications, and user stories.
-  - **`tasks/`**: Defines the instructions for carrying out specific, repeatable actions like "shard-doc" or "create-next-story".
-  - **`checklists/`**: Provides quality assurance checklists for agents like the Product Owner (`po`) or Architect.
-  - **`data/`**: Contains the core knowledge base (`bmad-kb.md`), technical preferences (`technical-preferences.md`), and other key data files.
-
-#### 3.4.1. Template Processing System
-
-A key architectural principle of BMad is that templates are self-contained and interactive - they embed both the desired document output and the LLM instructions needed to work with users. This means that in many cases, no separate task is needed for document creation, as the template itself contains all the processing logic.
-
-The BMad framework employs a sophisticated template processing system orchestrated by three key components:
-
-- **`template-format.md`** (`bmad-core/utils/`): Defines the foundational markup language used throughout all BMad templates. This specification establishes syntax rules for variable substitution (`{{placeholders}}`), AI-only processing directives (`[[LLM: instructions]]`), and conditional logic blocks. Templates follow this format to ensure consistent processing across the system.
-
-- **`create-doc.md`** (`bmad-core/tasks/`): Acts as the orchestration engine that manages the entire document generation workflow. This task coordinates template selection, manages user interaction modes (incremental vs. rapid generation), enforces template-format processing rules, and handles validation. It serves as the primary interface between users and the template system.
-
-- **`advanced-elicitation.md`** (`bmad-core/tasks/`): Provides an interactive refinement layer that can be embedded within templates through `[[LLM: instructions]]` blocks. This component offers 10 structured brainstorming actions, section-by-section review capabilities, and iterative improvement workflows to enhance content quality.
-
-The system maintains a clean separation of concerns: template markup is processed internally by AI agents but never exposed to users, while providing sophisticated AI processing capabilities through embedded intelligence within the templates themselves.
-
-#### 3.4.2. Technical Preferences System
-
-BMad includes a personalization layer through the `technical-preferences.md` file in `bmad-core/data/`. This file serves as a persistent technical profile that influences agent behavior across all projects.
-
-**Purpose and Benefits:**
-
-- **Consistency**: Ensures all agents reference the same technical preferences
-- **Efficiency**: Eliminates the need to repeatedly specify preferred technologies
-- **Personalization**: Agents provide recommendations aligned with user preferences
-- **Learning**: Captures lessons learned and preferences that evolve over time
-
-**Content Structure:**
-The file typically includes preferred technology stacks, design patterns, external services, coding standards, and anti-patterns to avoid. Agents automatically reference this file during planning and development to provide contextually appropriate suggestions.
-
-**Integration Points:**
-
-- Templates can reference technical preferences during document generation
-- Agents suggest preferred technologies when appropriate for project requirements
-- When preferences don't fit project needs, agents explain alternatives
-- Web bundles can include preferences content for consistent behavior across platforms
-
-**Evolution Over Time:**
-Users are encouraged to continuously update this file with discoveries from projects, adding both positive preferences and technologies to avoid, creating a personalized knowledge base that improves agent recommendations over time.
-
-## 4. The Build & Delivery Process
-
-The framework is designed for two primary environments: local IDEs and web-based AI chat interfaces. The `web-builder.js` script is the key to supporting the latter.
-
-### 4.1. Web Builder (`tools/builders/web-builder.js`)
-
-- **Purpose**: This Node.js script is responsible for creating the `.txt` bundles found in `dist`.
-- **Process**:
-  1. **Resolves Dependencies**: For a given agent or team, the script reads its definition file.
-  2. It recursively finds all dependent resources (tasks, templates, etc.) that the agent/team needs.
-  3. **Bundles Content**: It reads the content of all these files and concatenates them into a single, large text file, with clear separators indicating the original file path of each section.
-  4. **Outputs Bundle**: The final `.txt` file is saved in the `dist` directory, ready to be uploaded to a web UI.
-
-### 4.2. Environment-Specific Usage
-
-- **For IDEs**: Users interact with the agents directly via their markdown files in `bmad-core/agents/`. The IDE integration (for Cursor, Claude Code, etc.) knows how to call these agents.
-- **For Web UIs**: Users upload a pre-built bundle from `dist`. This single file provides the AI with the context of the entire team and all their required tools and knowledge.
-
-## 5. BMad Workflows
-
-### 5.1. The Planning Workflow
-
-Before development begins, BMad follows a structured planning workflow that establishes the foundation for successful project execution:
-
-```mermaid
-graph TD
-    A["Start: Project Idea"] --> B{"Optional: Analyst Brainstorming"}
-    B -->|Yes| C["Analyst: Market Research & Analysis"]
-    B -->|No| D["Create Project Brief"]
-    C --> D["Analyst: Create Project Brief"]
-    D --> E["PM: Create PRD from Brief"]
-    E --> F["Architect: Create Architecture from PRD"]
-    F --> G["PO: Run Master Checklist"]
-    G --> H{"Documents Aligned?"}
-    H -->|Yes| I["Planning Complete"]
-    H -->|No| J["PO: Update Epics & Stories"]
-    J --> K["Update PRD/Architecture as needed"]
-    K --> G
-    I --> L["📁 Switch to IDE"]
-    L --> M["PO: Shard Documents"]
-    M --> N["Ready for SM/Dev Cycle"]
-
-    style I fill:#34a853,color:#fff
-    style G fill:#f9ab00,color:#fff
-    style L fill:#1a73e8,color:#fff
-    style N fill:#34a853,color:#fff
-```
-
-**Key Planning Phases:**
-
-1. **Optional Analysis**: Analyst conducts market research and competitive analysis
-2. **Project Brief**: Foundation document created by Analyst or user
-3. **PRD Creation**: PM transforms brief into comprehensive product requirements
-4. **Architecture Design**: Architect creates technical foundation based on PRD
-5. **Validation & Alignment**: PO ensures all documents are consistent and complete
-6. **Refinement**: Updates to epics, stories, and documents as needed
-7. **Environment Transition**: Critical switch from web UI to IDE for development workflow
-8. **Document Preparation**: PO shards large documents for development consumption
-
-**Workflow Orchestration**: The `bmad-orchestrator` agent uses these workflow definitions to guide users through the complete process, ensuring proper transitions between planning (web UI) and development (IDE) phases.
-
-### 5.2. The Core Development Cycle
-
-Once the initial planning and architecture phases are complete, the project moves into a cyclical development workflow, as detailed in the `bmad-kb.md`. This ensures a steady, sequential, and quality-controlled implementation process.
-
-```mermaid
-graph TD
-    A["Start: Planning Artifacts Complete"] --> B["PO: Shard Epics"]
-    B --> C["PO: Shard Arch"]
-    C --> D["Development Phase"]
-    D --> E["Scrum Master: Drafts next story from sharded epic"]
-    E --> F{"User Approval"}
-    F -->|Approved| G["Dev: Implement Story"]
-    F -->|Needs Changes| E
-    G --> H["Dev: Complete story Tasks"]
-    H --> I["Dev: Mark Ready for Review"]
-    I --> J{"User Verification"}
-    J -->|Request QA Review| K["QA: Run review-story task"]
-    J -->|Approve Without QA| M["Mark Story as Done"]
-    K --> L{"QA Review Results"}
-    L -->|Needs Work| G
-    L -->|Approved| M["Mark Story as Done"]
-    J -->|Needs Fixes| G
-    M --> E
-
-    style M fill:#34a853,color:#fff
-    style K fill:#f9ab00,color:#fff
-```
-
-This cycle continues, with the Scrum Master, Developer, and optionally QA agents working together. The QA agent provides senior developer review capabilities through the `review-story` task, offering code refactoring, quality improvements, and knowledge transfer. This ensures high code quality while maintaining development velocity.