* feat(bmad-spec): add Spec kernel distiller skill
New 2-plan-workflows skill that distills any intent input (brain dump,
PRD, transcript, brief) into a spec.md carrying the five-field kernel:
Problem, Capabilities, Constraints, Non-goals, Success signal. Headless
callers receive JSON; interactive runs close conversationally with the
spec path and gap-coverage invitations.
Includes:
- SKILL.md with activation contract and conventions
- customize.toml exposing template path, output path, run-folder pattern
- assets/spec-template.md (five-field skeleton)
- assets/headless-schemas.md (JSON IO contracts)
* remove brain-dump fallback config from bmad-spec customize.toml
* refactor(bmad-spec): companions+sources model, routing tilt, flat output path
- Collapse `related:` into `companions:`; companion paths may point inside the spec folder (spec-authored) or outside it (adopted from an upstream skill), distinguished implicitly by path
- `sources:` reserved for fully-absorbed inputs; downstream does NOT read these
- Soften mutation contract: bmad-spec owns SPEC.md and spec-authored companions; adopted companions belong to their originating skill
- Add "when to spawn a companion" tilt: multi-item catalogs, tables, diagrams (always), editorial voice rules; sub-bullets in a kernel field signal it has outgrown the kernel
- Fix Spec Law rule 7 and Pass 2: load-bearing content lands in SPEC.md or a companion, not the decision log (the log records wrapper-drops only)
- Flatten output path to `{planning_artifacts}/specs/spec-{slug}-{date}/`, mirroring `prds/` and `ux-designs/`; drop `spec_folder_name` (no longer used)
- Extract Load-bearing definition into its own section above Spec Law
* chore(core): retire bmad-distillator, promote bmad-spec to core
- Delete bmad-distillator/ and all registry + doc references (superseded by bmad-spec; no skill or workflow in any BMad module invoked it)
- Add bmad-distillator to removals.txt so installer cleans it from existing IDE skill directories on update
- Move bmad-spec from bmm-skills/2-plan-workflows/ to core-skills/ (universal scope: game design, research hypotheses, editorial briefs, policy, business plans, not just software)
- Register bmad-spec in core module-help.csv and bmad-pro-skills marketplace plugin
- Drop bmad-distillator section from core-tools.md (en, vi-vn, cs, fr, zh-cn) and vi-vn dev guide; renumber subsequent sections
* refactor(bmad-spec): add lean-prose discipline + generalize help text
- Add Spec Law rule 8: lean prose. Every sentence carries load-bearing content; cut decoration, hedges, backstory, throat-clearing. Applies to SPEC.md, companions, and decision log.
- Update Self-Validate Pass 1 to enforce rules 1-6 and 8 (rule 7 stays in Pass 2)
- Prime the operation up-front: write lean from the first pass, every sentence must earn its place
- Note in Companions section that companions follow the same lean discipline
- Generalize core module-help.csv entry: domain-agnostic framing (software, game design, research, editorial, policy, business, anything intent-bearing); call out succinct, no-fluff and "locks the WHAT before the HOW" as the value props
* fix(bmad-spec): address PR review findings (CodeRabbit + Augment)
- headless-schemas.md: rewrite spec_path examples to point at the spec folder (not a file), rename source_artifact to sources[] array, add companions[] array, update verdict from "six rules" to "eight rules", disambiguate reason requirement (only when status=blocked)
- SKILL.md activation: fix config path from {project-root}/_bmad/config.yaml to {project-root}/_bmad/core/config.yaml (matches other BMM skills)
- customize.toml + SKILL.md Workspace: drop {date} from default run_folder_pattern (spec-{slug}); same slug = same folder = trivial in-place update, no glob-and-pick-most-recent needed. Override available for users who want dated history.
- spec-template.md: rename "## Success signals" (plural) to "## Success signal" (singular) to match SKILL.md kernel naming
- SKILL.md Frontmatter conventions: fix adopted-companion example path from _bmad-output/ux-designs/foo-ux/DESIGN.md to ../../ux-designs/ux-foo-bar-2026-05-23/DESIGN.md (matches actual flat-output convention)
- SKILL.md Spec Law: fix double-period typo in rule 2 ((stack, conventions)..)
- SKILL.md Overview: fix awkward "bloat with expansive line item details the kernel" phrasing; drop software-flavored downstream consumer list since bmad-spec is now a core skill serving any domain
* fix(bmad-spec): drop {planning_artifacts} dependency; output to {output_folder}/specs
bmad-spec is a core skill but its default path used {planning_artifacts}, a bmm-module variable. Core-only installs (no bmm) would fail at activation when the resolver tried to expand the path.
Land specs directly under {output_folder}/specs/spec-{slug}/ instead. Works in any install regardless of installed modules, and aligns with the long-term BMad direction of grouping artifacts as siblings under {output_folder}/<type>/ rather than nested under planning vs implementation parents.
In bmm installs, adopted-companion paths from spec to UX/PRD pick up one extra .. (e.g., ../planning-artifacts/ux-designs/<run>/DESIGN.md) since the spec folder is now one level up from planning-artifacts. Examples in SKILL.md and headless-schemas.md updated. module-help.csv output-location updated and stale -{date} fragment removed.
* docs(bmad-spec): add reference docs, trim headless schema, tighten defaults
- Add full bmad-spec entry to docs/reference/core-tools.md and table-row
stubs to cs/fr/vi-vn/zh-cn (full translation pending).
- Strip headless-schemas.md to a minimal {status, files} success response
and {status, error_code, reason} blocked response. Drop spec_path,
capabilities, verdict, decision_log_path — all derivable from the files
themselves.
- Narrow customize.toml persistent_facts default from recursive glob to
single {project-root}/project-context.md; document override path.
- Drop unused {doc_workspace} convention line from SKILL.md.
- Clarify Self-Validate verdict handling for interactive vs headless.
- Document missing_slug error code in SKILL.md + headless schema.
Adds 32 entries to removals.txt covering the module-prefixed wrapper
skill names used pre-v6.2.0 (bmad-bmm-* and bmad-agent-bmm-*). Users
upgrading from v6.0.x / v6.1.x had these installed in their IDE skill
directories, but the v6.2.0 architecture switch dropped the module
prefix and the cleanup never knew the old names. Stale wrappers stayed
behind alongside the new self-contained skills, causing duplicates and
broken-file errors when invoked (referenced files no longer exist).
The removals.txt entries get added to the cleanup removalSet on every
install/update, so the next install run for an upgrading user removes
the stale wrappers automatically.
* feat(installer): overhaul branding, versioning, and skill cleanup
Logo and branding:
- Responsive logo: full "BMAD METHOD" at >=95 cols, "BMAD" for narrower terminals
- Color scheme updated from yellow to blue (matching bmadcode.com brand)
- Added copyright notice and tagline in white for contrast
- Removed version number from logo (individual module versions shown in summary)
- Added ™ to both wide and narrow logo variants
Installer start message:
- Replaced outdated V6 launch announcement with clean welcome
- Consolidated redundant module/platform messaging into single intro
- Tightened open source manifesto (same spirit, fewer words)
- Merged speaking/media into support section with contact email
- Added full social links: Website, Discord, YouTube, X, Facebook
- Replaced docs.bmad-method.org and changelog links with bmadcode.com hub
Install summary improvements:
- Module names now show full display names from module.yaml (not abbreviations)
- All module versions sourced from .claude-plugin/marketplace.json exclusively
- Summary shows version transitions: "v6.2.2 -> v6.3.0", "v6.3.0, no change",
or "v6.3.0, installed" for fresh installs
- Switched summary from clack note() to box() for full-brightness text
- Removed dim/gray styling that was hard to read on dark terminals
- Links styled with color.blue instead of color.dim
- Get started section leads with actionable steps (launch agent, run bmad-help)
- Removed redundant social links (already shown in start message)
Version source unification:
- All module versions now come from .claude-plugin/marketplace.json only
- Removed package.json as version source for core/bmm modules
- Updated manifest.js getModuleVersionInfo() to use marketplace.json
- Updated installer.js _getMarketplaceVersion() helper
- Updated ui.js getMarketplaceVersion() for module selection display
- Quick Update menu no longer shows misleading version (was using package.json)
- Module selection list now shows versions next to each module name
Skill cleanup overhaul:
- Replaced blunt-force bmad-* prefix deletion with surgical removal system
- Added removals.txt support: optional per-project file listing skills to remove
- Created initial removals.txt with all skills removed since v6.2.0
- Install/update: captures previously installed skill IDs from skill-manifest.csv
before manifest regeneration, then removes those + removals.txt entries
- Uninstall: removes all installed skills via skill-manifest.csv + removals.txt
- Deselecting modules now correctly removes their skills from IDE directories
- User-created bmad-* skills in IDE directories are no longer destroyed
- Legacy directory cleanup retains prefix matching (those dirs are abandoned)
Bug fixes:
- Fixed duplicate "CORE module already up to date" during quick update
- Fixed version display showing package.json version instead of actual module version
- Updated test fixture for bmad-os-* preservation test to use skill-manifest.csv
* fix(installer): address Augment review findings
- Fix plugins[0] fragility: extract highest version across all plugins
in marketplace.json instead of assuming first entry (ui.js, installer.js,
manifest.js)
- Fix _readMarketplaceVersion ignoring moduleSourcePath: custom modules
can now source their own marketplace.json by walking up from source path
- Hard-exclude bmad-os-* utility skills in both surgical and legacy cleanup
modes, preventing accidental deletion if tracked in manifests
- Distinguish missing file vs parse error in skill-manifest.csv reading:
warn on corrupt CSV instead of silently skipping cleanup
* fix(installer): resolve module source before reading marketplace version
Move _readMarketplaceVersion call after source type resolution so custom
modules use their own source path instead of falling back to the external
module cache, which could match a different module with the same code.
Brian