Bmad Kb

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# BMAD™ Knowledge Base

## Overview

BMAD-METHOD™ (Breakthrough Method of Agile AI-driven Development) is a framework that combines AI agents with Agile development methodologies. The v4 system introduces a modular architecture with improved dependency management, bundle optimization, and support for both web and IDE environments.

### Key Features

- **Modular Agent System**: Specialized AI agents for each Agile role
- **Build System**: Automated dependency resolution and optimization
- **Dual Environment Support**: Optimized for both web UIs and IDEs
- **Reusable Resources**: Portable templates, tasks, and checklists
- **Slash Command Integration**: Quick agent switching and control

### When to Use BMad

- **New Projects (Greenfield)**: Complete end-to-end development
- **Existing Projects (Brownfield)**: Feature additions and enhancements
- **Team Collaboration**: Multiple roles working together
- **Quality Assurance**: Structured testing and validation
- **Documentation**: Professional PRDs, architecture docs, user stories

## How BMad Works

### The Core Method

BMad transforms you into a "Vibe CEO" - directing a team of specialized AI agents through structured workflows. Here's how:

1. **You Direct, AI Executes**: You provide vision and decisions; agents handle implementation details
2. **Specialized Agents**: Each agent masters one role (PM, Developer, Architect, etc.)
3. **Structured Workflows**: Proven patterns guide you from idea to deployed code
4. **Clean Handoffs**: Fresh context windows ensure agents stay focused and effective

### The Two-Phase Approach

#### Phase 1: Planning (Web UI - Cost Effective)

- Use large context windows (Gemini's 1M tokens)
- Generate comprehensive documents (PRD, Architecture)
- Leverage multiple agents for brainstorming
- Create once, use throughout development

#### Phase 2: Development (IDE - Implementation)

- Shard documents into manageable pieces
- Execute focused SM → Dev cycles
- One story at a time, sequential progress
- Real-time file operations and testing

### The Development Loop

```text
1. SM Agent (New Chat) → Creates next story from sharded docs
2. You → Review and approve story
3. Dev Agent (New Chat) → Implements approved story
4. QA Agent (New Chat) → Reviews and refactors code
5. You → Verify completion
6. Repeat until epic complete

Why This Works

• Context Optimization: Clean chats = better AI performance
• Role Clarity: Agents don't context-switch = higher quality
• Incremental Progress: Small stories = manageable complexity
• Human Oversight: You validate each step = quality control
• Document-Driven: Specs guide everything = consistency

Getting Started

Quick Start Options

Option 1: Web UI

Best for: ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini users who want to start immediately

1. Navigate to dist/teams/
2. Copy team-fullstack.txt content
3. Create new Gemini Gem or CustomGPT
4. Upload file with instructions: "Your critical operating instructions are attached, do not break character as directed"
5. Type /help to see available commands

Option 2: IDE Integration

Best for: Cursor, Claude Code, Windsurf, Trae, Cline, Roo Code, Github Copilot users

# Interactive installation (recommended)
npx bmad-method install

Installation Steps:

• Choose "Complete installation"
• Select your IDE from supported options:
  • Cursor: Native AI integration
  • Claude Code: Anthropic's official IDE
  • Windsurf: Built-in AI capabilities
  • Trae: Built-in AI capabilities
  • Cline: VS Code extension with AI features
  • Roo Code: Web-based IDE with agent support
  • GitHub Copilot: VS Code extension with AI peer programming assistant
  • Auggie CLI (Augment Code): AI-powered development environment

Note for VS Code Users: BMAD-METHOD™ assumes when you mention "VS Code" that you're using it with an AI-powered extension like GitHub Copilot, Cline, or Roo. Standard VS Code without AI capabilities cannot run BMad agents. The installer includes built-in support for Cline and Roo.

Verify Installation:

• .bmad-core/ folder created with all agents
• IDE-specific integration files created
• All agent commands/rules/modes available

Remember: At its core, BMAD-METHOD™ is about mastering and harnessing prompt engineering. Any IDE with AI agent support can use BMad - the framework provides the structured prompts and workflows that make AI development effective

Environment Selection Guide

Use Web UI for:

• Initial planning and documentation (PRD, architecture)
• Cost-effective document creation (especially with Gemini)
• Brainstorming and analysis phases
• Multi-agent consultation and planning

Use IDE for:

• Active development and coding
• File operations and project integration
• Document sharding and story management
• Implementation workflow (SM/Dev cycles)

Cost-Saving Tip: Create large documents (PRDs, architecture) in web UI, then copy to docs/prd.md and docs/architecture.md in your project before switching to IDE for development.

IDE-Only Workflow Considerations

Can you do everything in IDE? Yes, but understand the tradeoffs:

Pros of IDE-Only:

• Single environment workflow
• Direct file operations from start
• No copy/paste between environments
• Immediate project integration

Cons of IDE-Only:

• Higher token costs for large document creation
• Smaller context windows (varies by IDE/model)
• May hit limits during planning phases
• Less cost-effective for brainstorming

Using Web Agents in IDE:

• NOT RECOMMENDED: Web agents (PM, Architect) have rich dependencies designed for large contexts
• Why it matters: Dev agents are kept lean to maximize coding context
• The principle: "Dev agents code, planning agents plan" - mixing breaks this optimization

About bmad-master and bmad-orchestrator:

• bmad-master: CAN do any task without switch