---
title: "Brownfield Development FAQ"
description: Common questions about brownfield development in the BMad Method
---


Quick answers to common questions about brownfield (existing codebase) development in the BMad Method.

---

## Q: What is brownfield vs greenfield?

**A:**

- **Greenfield:** New project, starting from scratch, clean slate
- **Brownfield:** Existing project, working with established codebase and patterns

## Q: Do I have to run document-project for brownfield?

**A:** Highly recommended, especially if:

- No existing documentation
- Documentation is outdated
- AI agents need context about existing code
- Level 2-4 complexity

You can skip it if you have comprehensive, up-to-date documentation including `docs/index.md`.

## Q: What if I forget to run document-project on brownfield?

**A:** Workflows will lack context about existing code. You may get:

- Suggestions that don't match existing patterns
- Integration approaches that miss existing APIs
- Architecture that conflicts with current structure

Run document-project and restart planning with proper context.

## Q: Can I use Quick Spec Flow for brownfield projects?

**A:** Yes! Quick Spec Flow works great for brownfield. It will:

- Auto-detect your existing stack
- Analyze brownfield code patterns
- Detect conventions and ask for confirmation
- Generate context-rich tech-spec that respects existing code

Perfect for bug fixes and small features in existing codebases.

## Q: How does workflow-init handle brownfield with old planning docs?

**A:** workflow-init asks about YOUR current work first, then uses old artifacts as context:

1. Shows what it found (old PRD, epics, etc.)
2. Asks: "Is this work in progress, previous effort, or proposed work?"
3. If previous effort: Asks you to describe your NEW work
4. Determines level based on YOUR work, not old artifacts

This prevents old Level 3 PRDs from forcing Level 3 workflow for new Level 0 bug fix.

## Q: What if my existing code doesn't follow best practices?

**A:** Quick Spec Flow detects your conventions and asks: "Should I follow these existing conventions?" You decide:

- **Yes** → Maintain consistency with current codebase
- **No** → Establish new standards (document why in tech-spec)

BMM respects your choice - it won't force modernization, but it will offer it.

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## Related Documentation

- [Quick Start Guide](/tutorials/getting-started/getting-started-bmadv6/) - Get started with BMM
- [Brownfield Guide](/how-to/brownfield/) - Existing codebase workflows
- [Glossary](/reference/glossary/) - Terminology reference

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**Have a question not answered here?** Please [open an issue](https://github.com/bmad-code-org/BMAD-METHOD/issues) or ask in [Discord](https://discord.gg/gk8jAdXWmj) so we can add it!
