---
title: "BMad Glossary"
---

Terminology reference for the BMad Method.

## Core Concepts

| Term | Definition |
|------|------------|
| **Agent** | Specialized AI persona with specific expertise (PM, Architect, SM, DEV, TEA) that guides users through workflows and creates deliverables. |
| **BMad** | Breakthrough Method of Agile AI Driven Development — AI-driven agile framework with specialized agents, guided workflows, and scale-adaptive intelligence. |
| **BMad Method** | Complete methodology for AI-assisted software development, encompassing planning, architecture, implementation, and quality assurance workflows that adapt to project complexity. |
| **BMM** | BMad Method Module — core orchestration system providing comprehensive lifecycle management through specialized agents and workflows. |
| **Scale-Adaptive System** | Intelligent workflow orchestration that adjusts planning depth and documentation requirements based on project needs through three planning tracks. |
| **Workflow** | Multi-step guided process that orchestrates AI agent activities to produce specific deliverables. Workflows are interactive and adapt to user context. |

## Scale and Complexity

| Term | Definition |
|------|------------|
| **BMad Method Track** | Full product planning track using PRD + Architecture + UX. Best for products, platforms, and complex features. Typical range: 10-50+ stories. |
| **Enterprise Method Track** | Extended planning track adding Security Architecture, DevOps Strategy, and Test Strategy. Best for compliance needs and multi-tenant systems. Typical range: 30+ stories. |
| **Planning Track** | Methodology path (Quick Flow, BMad Method, or Enterprise) chosen based on planning needs and complexity, not story count alone. |
| **Quick Flow Track** | Fast implementation track using tech-spec only. Best for bug fixes, small features, and clear-scope changes. Typical range: 1-15 stories. |

## Planning Documents

| Term | Definition |
|------|------------|
| **Architecture Document** | *BMad Method/Enterprise.* System-wide design document defining structure, components, data models, integration patterns, security, and deployment. |
| **Epics** | High-level feature groupings containing multiple related stories. Typically 5-15 stories each representing cohesive functionality. |
| **Game Brief** | *BMGD.* Document capturing game's core vision, pillars, target audience, and scope. Foundation for the GDD. |
| **GDD** | *BMGD.* Game Design Document — comprehensive document detailing all aspects of game design: mechanics, systems, content, and more. |
| **PRD** | *BMad Method/Enterprise.* Product Requirements Document containing vision, goals, FRs, NFRs, and success criteria. Focuses on WHAT to build. |
| **Product Brief** | *Phase 1.* Optional strategic document capturing product vision, market context, and high-level requirements before detailed planning. |
| **Tech-Spec** | *Quick Flow only.* Comprehensive technical plan with problem statement, solution approach, file-level changes, and testing strategy. |

## Workflow and Phases

| Term | Definition |
|------|------------|
| **Phase 0: Documentation** | *Brownfield.* Conditional prerequisite phase creating codebase documentation before planning. Only required if existing docs are insufficient. |
| **Phase 1: Analysis** | Discovery phase including brainstorming, research, and product brief creation. Optional for Quick Flow, recommended for BMad Method. |
| **Phase 2: Planning** | Required phase creating formal requirements. Routes to tech-spec (Quick Flow) or PRD (BMad Method/Enterprise). |
| **Phase 3: Solutioning** | *BMad Method/Enterprise.* Architecture design phase including creation, validation, and gate checks. |
| **Phase 4: Implementation** | Required sprint-based development through story-by-story iteration using sprint-planning, create-story, dev-story, and code-review workflows. |
| **Quick Spec Flow** | Fast-track workflow for Quick Flow projects going straight from idea to tech-spec to implementation. |
| **Workflow Init** | Initialization workflow creating bmm-workflow-status.yaml, detecting project type, and determining planning track. |
| **Workflow Status** | Universal entry point checking for existing status file, displaying progress, and recommending next action. |

## Agents and Roles

| Term | Definition |
|------|------------|
| **Analyst** | Agent that initializes workflows, conducts research, creates product briefs, and tracks progress. Often the entry point for new projects. |
| **Architect** | Agent designing system architecture, creating architecture documents, and validating designs. Primary agent for Phase 3. |
| **BMad Master** | Meta-level orchestrator from BMad Core facilitating party mode and providing high-level guidance across all modules. |
| **DEV** | Developer agent implementing stories, writing code, running tests, and performing code reviews. Primary implementer in Phase 4. |
| **Game Architect** | *BMGD.* Agent designing game system architecture and validating game-specific technical designs. |
| **Game Designer** | *BMGD.* Agent creating game design documents (GDD) and running game-specific workflows. |
| **Party Mode** | Multi-agent collaboration feature where agents discuss challenges together. BMad Master orchestrates, selecting 2-3 relevant agents per message. |
| **PM** | Product Manager agent creating PRDs and tech-specs. Primary agent for Phase 2 planning. |
| **SM** | Scrum Master agent managing sprints, creating stories, and coordinating implementation. Primary orchestrator for Phase 4. |
| **TEA** | Test Architect agent responsible for test strategy, quality gates, and NFR assessment. Integrates throughout all phases. |
| **Technical Writer** | Agent specialized in creating technical documentation, diagrams, and maintaining documentation standards. |
| **UX Designer** | Agent creating UX design documents, interaction patterns, and visual specifications for UI-heavy projects. |

## Status and Tracking

| Term | Definition |
|------|------------|
| **bmm-workflow-status.yaml** | *Phases 1-3.* Tracking file showing current phase, completed workflows, and next recommended actions. |
| **DoD** | Definition of Done — criteria for marking a story complete: implementation done, tests passing, code reviewed, docs updated. |
| **Epic Status Progression** | `backlog → in-progress → done` — lifecycle states for epics during implementation. |
| **Gate Check** | Validation workflow (implementation-readiness) ensuring PRD, Architecture, and Epics are aligned before Phase 4. |
| **Retrospective** | Workflow after each epic capturing learnings and improvements for continuous improvement. |
| **sprint-status.yaml** | *Phase 4.* Single source of truth for implementation tracking containing all epics, stories, and their statuses. |
| **Story Status Progression** | `backlog → ready-for-dev → in-progress → review → done` — lifecycle states for stories. |

## Project Types

| Term | Definition |
|------|------------|
| **Brownfield** | Existing project with established codebase and patterns. Requires understanding existing architecture and planning integration. |
| **Convention Detection** | *Quick Flow.* Feature auto-detecting existing code style, naming conventions, and frameworks from brownfield codebases. |
| **document-project** | *Brownfield.* Workflow analyzing and documenting existing codebase with three scan levels: quick, deep, exhaustive. |
| **Feature Flags** | *Brownfield.* Implementation technique for gradual rollout, easy rollback, and A/B testing of new functionality. |
| **Greenfield** | New project starting from scratch with freedom to establish patterns, choose stack, and design from clean slate. |
| **Integration Points** | *Brownfield.* Specific locations where new code connects with existing systems. Must be documented in tech-specs. |

## Implementation Terms

| Term | Definition |
|------|------------|
| **Context Engineering** | Loading domain-specific standards into AI context automatically via manifests, ensuring consistent outputs regardless of prompt variation. |
| **Correct Course** | Workflow for navigating significant changes when implementation is off-track. Analyzes impact and recommends adjustments. |
| **Shard / Sharding** | Splitting large planning documents into section-based files for LLM optimization. Phase 4 workflows load only needed sections. |
| **Sprint** | Time-boxed period of development work, typically 1-2 weeks. |
| **Sprint Planning** | Workflow initializing Phase 4 by creating sprint-status.yaml and extracting epics/stories from planning docs. |
| **Story** | Single unit of implementable work with clear acceptance criteria, typically 2-8 hours of effort. Grouped into epics. |
| **Story Context** | Implementation guidance embedded in story files during create-story, referencing existing patterns and approaches. |
| **Story File** | Markdown file containing story description, acceptance criteria, technical notes, and testing requirements. |
| **Track Selection** | Automatic analysis by workflow-init suggesting appropriate track based on complexity indicators. User can override. |

## Game Development Terms

| Term | Definition |
|------|------------|
| **Core Fantasy** | *BMGD.* The emotional experience players seek from your game — what they want to FEEL. |
| **Core Loop** | *BMGD.* Fundamental cycle of actions players repeat throughout gameplay. The heart of your game. |
| **Design Pillar** | *BMGD.* Core principle guiding all design decisions. Typically 3-5 pillars define a game's identity. |
| **Environmental Storytelling** | *BMGD.* Narrative communicated through the game world itself rather than explicit dialogue. |
| **Game Type** | *BMGD.* Genre classification determining which specialized GDD sections are included. |
| **MDA Framework** | *BMGD.* Mechanics → Dynamics → Aesthetics — framework for analyzing and designing games. |
| **Meta-Progression** | *BMGD.* Persistent progression carrying between individual runs or sessions. |
| **Metroidvania** | *BMGD.* Genre featuring interconnected world exploration with ability-gated progression. |
| **Narrative Complexity** | *BMGD.* How central story is to the game: Critical, Heavy, Moderate, or Light. |
| **Permadeath** | *BMGD.* Game mechanic where character death is permanent, typically requiring a new run. |
| **Player Agency** | *BMGD.* Degree to which players can make meaningful choices affecting outcomes. |
| **Procedural Generation** | *BMGD.* Algorithmic creation of game content (levels, items, characters) rather than hand-crafted. |
| **Roguelike** | *BMGD.* Genre featuring procedural generation, permadeath, and run-based progression. |
