---
title: "Manage Project Context"
description: Create and maintain project-context.md to guide AI agents
sidebar:
  order: 8
---

Use the `project-context.md` file to ensure AI agents follow your project's technical preferences and implementation rules throughout all workflows. To make sure this is always available, you can also add the line `Important project context and conventions are located in [path to project context]/project-context.md` to your tools context or always rules file (such as `AGENTS.md`)

:::note[Prerequisites]
- BMad Method installed
- Understanding of your project's technology stack and conventions
:::

## When to Use This

- You have strong technical preferences before starting architecture
- You've completed architecture and want to capture decisions for implementation
- You're working on an existing codebase with established patterns
- You notice agents making inconsistent decisions across stories

## Step 1: Choose Your Approach

**Manual creation** — Best when you know exactly what rules you want to document

**Generate after architecture** — Best for capturing decisions made during solutioning

**Generate for existing projects** — Best for discovering patterns in existing codebases

## Step 2: Create the File

### Option A: Manual Creation

Create the file at `_bmad-output/project-context.md`:

```bash
mkdir -p _bmad-output
touch _bmad-output/project-context.md
```

Add your technology stack and implementation rules:

```markdown
---
project_name: 'MyProject'
user_name: 'YourName'
date: '2026-02-15'
sections_completed: ['technology_stack', 'critical_rules']
---

# Project Context for AI Agents

## Technology Stack & Versions

- Node.js 20.x, TypeScript 5.3, React 18.2
- State: Zustand
- Testing: Vitest, Playwright
- Styling: Tailwind CSS

## Critical Implementation Rules

**TypeScript:**
- Strict mode enabled, no `any` types
- Use `interface` for public APIs, `type` for unions

**Code Organization:**
- Components in `/src/components/` with co-located tests
- API calls use `apiClient` singleton — never fetch directly

**Testing:**
- Unit tests focus on business logic
- Integration tests use MSW for API mocking
```

### Option B: Generate After Architecture

Run the workflow in a fresh chat:

```bash
bmad-generate-project-context
```

The workflow scans your architecture document and project files to generate a context file capturing the decisions made.

### Option C: Generate for Existing Projects

For existing projects, run:

```bash
bmad-generate-project-context
```

The workflow analyzes your codebase to identify conventions, then generates a context file you can review and refine.

## Step 3: Verify Content

Review the generated file and ensure it captures:

- Correct technology versions
- Your actual conventions (not generic best practices)
- Rules that prevent common mistakes
- Framework-specific patterns

Edit manually to add anything missing or remove inaccuracies.

## What You Get

A `project-context.md` file that:

- Ensures all agents follow the same conventions
- Prevents inconsistent decisions across stories
- Captures architecture decisions for implementation
- Serves as a reference for your project's patterns and rules

## Tips

:::tip[Best Practices]
- **Focus on the unobvious** — Document patterns agents might miss (e.g., "Use JSDoc on every public class"), not universal practices like "use meaningful variable names."
- **Keep it lean** — This file is loaded by every implementation workflow. Long files waste context. Exclude content that only applies to narrow scope or specific stories.
- **Update as needed** — Edit manually when patterns change, or re-generate after significant architecture changes.
- Works for Quick Flow and full BMad Method projects alike.
:::

## Next Steps

- [**Project Context Explanation**](../explanation/project-context.md) — Learn more about how it works
- [**Workflow Map**](../reference/workflow-map.md) — See which workflows load project context
