- Add markdownlint-cli2 as dev dependency
- Add lint:md script to package.json
- Add markdownlint job to CI workflow
- Configure 5 rules: heading-increment, no-duplicate-heading,
no-trailing-punctuation, no-bare-urls, no-space-in-emphasis
- Fix existing violations across 19 markdown files
- No auto-fix to prevent destructive changes
Closes#1034🤖 Generated with [Claude Code](https://claude.com/claude-code)
Co-authored-by: Claude <noreply@anthropic.com>
Co-authored-by: Brian <bmadcode@gmail.com>
## Major Features Added
- **Step-file workflow architecture**: Transform monolithic workflows into granular step files for improved LLM adherence and consistency
- **Multi-menu handler system**: New `handler-multi.xml` enables grouped menu items with fuzzy matching
- **Workflow compliance checker**: Added automated compliance validation for all workflows
- **Create/edit agent workflows**: New structured workflows for agent creation and editing
## Workflow Enhancements
- **Create-workflow**: Expanded from 6 to 14 detailed steps covering tools, design, compliance
- **Granular step execution**: Each workflow step now has dedicated files for focused execution
- **New documentation**: Added CSV data standards, intent vs prescriptive spectrum, and common tools reference
## Complete Migration Status
- **4 workflows fully migrated**: `create-agent`, `edit-agent`, `create-workflow`, and `edit-workflow` now use the new granular step-file architecture
- **Legacy transformation**: `edit-workflow` includes built-in capability to transform legacy single-file workflows into the new improved granular format
- **Future cleanup**: Legacy versions will be removed in a future commit after validation
## Schema Updates
- **Multi-menu support**: Updated agent schema to support `triggers` array for grouped menu items
- **Legacy compatibility**: Maintains backward compatibility with single `trigger` field
- **Discussion enhancements**: Added conversational_knowledge recommendation for discussion agents
## File Structure Changes
- Added: `create-agent/`, `edit-agent/`, `edit-workflow/`, `workflow-compliance-check/` workflows
- Added: Documentation standards and CSV reference files
- Refactored: `create-workflow/steps/` with detailed granular step files
## Handler Improvements
- Enhanced `handler-exec.xml` with clearer execution instructions
- Improved data passing context for executed files
- Better error handling and user guidance
This architectural change significantly improves workflow execution consistency across all LLM models by breaking complex processes into manageable, focused steps. The edit-workflow transformation tool ensures smooth migration of existing workflows to the new format.
## Overview
Major enhancement to edit-agent workflow to match create-agent quality standards, plus critical addition of Expert agent sidecar file support and consolidation of validation checklists into single source of truth.
## 1. edit-agent Workflow Comprehensive Enhancement
### Documentation Reference Updates (workflow.yaml)
**Fixed all broken references** - replaced deleted docs with new comprehensive guides:
- ❌ Removed: agent-types.md, agent-architecture.md, agent-command-patterns.md, communication-styles.md
- ✅ Added structured references:
* Core Concepts: understanding_agent_types, agent_compilation
* Architecture Guides: simple_architecture, expert_architecture, module_architecture
* Design Patterns: menu_patterns, communication_presets, brainstorm_context
* Reference Agents: commit-poet, journal-keeper, module examples, BMM agents
### Critical Persona Field Guidance Added (instructions.md +59 lines)
**The #1 issue in legacy agents** - comprehensive guidance on persona field separation:
- Explains how LLMs interpret each field:
* role → "What knowledge/skills/capabilities do I possess?"
* identity → "What background/experience/context shapes my responses?"
* communication_style → "What verbal patterns/word choice do I use?"
* principles → "What beliefs/philosophy drive my choices?"
- BEFORE/AFTER examples showing common mistakes
- Red flag word detection guide (ensures, experienced, believes in, etc.)
- Pure communication style examples from reference agents
### Enhanced Step 1: Analysis (instructions.md +57 lines)
- References all new comprehensive documentation
- **CRITICAL: Persona field separation analysis**
* Checks for behaviors/role/identity mixed into communication_style
* Compares against communication_presets for purity
* Compares against reference agents for quality
- Warm, conversational feedback explaining issues found
### Massive Step 3 Enhancement: Communication Style Refinement (+122 lines)
**7-step prescriptive pattern for fixing the #1 quality issue:**
1. Diagnose Current Communication Style - red flag word detection
2. Extract Non-Style Content - working copy methodology
3. Discover TRUE Communication Style - interview questions + preset exploration
4. Craft Pure Communication Style - good/bad examples from references
5. Show Before/After With Full Context - complete transformation
6. Validate Against Standards - zero red flags, compare to presets/references
7. Confirm With User - explain changes, read dramatically, refine
Examples from actual reference agents:
- "Treats analysis like a treasure hunt - excited by every clue" (Mary/analyst)
- "Ultra-succinct. Speaks in file paths and AC IDs" (Amelia/dev)
- "Poetic drama and flair with every turn of a phrase" (commit-poet)
### Legacy Type Migration Pattern (+42 lines)
**Comprehensive guide for full/hybrid/standalone → Simple/Expert/Module migration:**
- Clear explanations of modern types (architecture, NOT capability)
- Migration patterns with decision tree
- Structural conversion guides (Simple ↔ Expert)
- Module = design intent clarification
### Enhanced Validation (Step 4)
- Persona field separation validation emphasized
- Updated success message with all quality standards
- Comprehensive checklist validation
### Complete README Documentation (200 lines created)
- Purpose emphasizing persona field separation as #1 issue
- 14 common editing scenarios (persona separation listed FIRST)
- Complete doc reference listing by category
- Dedicated "Critical: Persona Field Separation" section
- Red flag words guide
- 3 detailed usage scenarios
- Quality standards checklist
## 2. Expert Agent Sidecar File Support (NEW)
### Step 1: Smart Path Detection and Loading (+35 lines)
**Automatically detects and loads based on path type:**
```yaml
If path is .agent.yaml → Simple Agent (load single file)
If path is folder → Expert Agent:
- Load .agent.yaml from inside folder
- Load ALL sidecar files (*.md, *.txt, *.csv, *.json, *.yaml)
- Create inventory for reference
- Present: "Loaded agent.yaml + 5 sidecar files: [list]"
```
**Sidecar analysis:**
- Maps which menu items reference which sidecar files (tmpl="path", data="path")
- Checks if all sidecar references actually exist
- Identifies unused/orphaned sidecar files
- Assesses sidecar organization
**Warm expert agent feedback:**
"This is beautifully organized as an Expert agent! The sidecar files include 3 journal templates (daily, weekly, breakthrough) and a mood-patterns knowledge file. Your menu items reference them nicely. I do notice 'old-template.md' isn't referenced anywhere - we could clean that up."
### Step 3: Sidecar Editing Patterns (+47 lines)
**5 complete sidecar editing scenarios:**
1. **Updating templates** - Edit content, verify references work, test variables
2. **Adding new sidecar files** - Create file + add menu item with reference
3. **Removing unused sidecar files** - Confirm unused, ask to delete, clean references
4. **Reorganizing sidecar structure** - Move files, update ALL YAML references
5. **Updating knowledge base files** - Edit .csv/.json/.yaml data directly
**Critical mindset:** "Sidecar files are as much a part of the agent as the YAML!"
### Step 4: Sidecar Validation (+16 lines)
**Conversational validation:**
- "Your menu item 'daily-journal' references 'templates/daily.md'... checking... ✓ exists!"
- Check for orphaned files not referenced anywhere
- Verify sidecar file formats (YAML parses, CSV has headers, markdown well-formed)
- Success message: "✓ All sidecar file references valid - 5 sidecar files, all referenced correctly!"
### README Updates
- "What You'll Need" distinguishes Simple vs Expert paths
- Scenario 2b: Complete Expert agent editing example (journal-keeper template update)
- Updated common scenarios list
## 3. Unified Validation Checklist (Single Source of Truth)
### Problem Solved
- create-agent had outdated checklist (62 lines, no persona field separation)
- edit-agent had enhanced checklist (112 lines, with our improvements)
- Risk of drift and inconsistency between workflows
### Solution: agent-validation-checklist.md (160 lines)
**Canonical location:** `/src/modules/bmb/workflows/create-agent/`
**Comprehensive coverage combining best of both:**
- YAML structure validation
- **Persona field separation** (field separation check, purity check, quality benchmarking)
- Menu validation (including sidecar file path validation)
- Type-specific validation (Simple/Expert/Module)
- Compilation validation
- Common issues and fixes section
**Key sections:**
- Persona Validation (CRITICAL - #1 Quality Issue)
* Field Separation Check (what belongs where)
* Communication Style Purity Check (red flag word detection)
* Quality Benchmarking (compare to presets and references)
- Expert Agent validation (9 sidecar-specific checks)
- Module Agent validation (design intent verification)
- Common Issues and Fixes (real examples with solutions)
### References Updated
**create-agent/workflow.yaml:**
```yaml
validation: "{installed_path}/agent-validation-checklist.md"
```
**edit-agent/workflow.yaml:**
```yaml
# Shared validation checklist (canonical location in create-agent folder)
validation: "{project-root}/{bmad_folder}/bmb/workflows/create-agent/agent-validation-checklist.md"
```
**edit-agent/instructions.md:**
```xml
<note>The validation checklist is shared between create-agent and edit-agent workflows to ensure consistent quality standards.</note>
```
### Files Changed
- ✅ Created: agent-validation-checklist.md (160 lines)
- ❌ Deleted: create-agent/checklist.md (62 lines)
- ❌ Deleted: edit-agent/checklist.md (112 lines)
- Updated: Both workflow.yaml files to reference unified checklist
## Statistics
**Overall changes:** 6 files changed, +553 insertions, -264 deletions
**edit-agent enhancements:**
- instructions.md: +396 lines (comprehensive guidance)
- README.md: +213 lines (complete documentation)
- workflow.yaml: +32 lines (proper doc references)
**Validation unification:**
- Net result: Better quality, less duplication, easier maintenance
- Single source of truth for all agent validation
## Impact
### For Users Editing Agents
- Automatically detects and handles Expert agents with sidecar files
- Clear guidance on fixing #1 issue (persona field separation)
- 7-step prescriptive pattern for communication style refinement
- Warm, educational feedback throughout
- Validates against same standards as create-agent
### For Agent Quality
- Both create and edit workflows use same validation standards
- Persona field separation gets proper attention
- Expert agent sidecar files treated as first-class citizens
- Legacy agents can be migrated to modern standards
- All agents validated against reference implementations
### For Maintenance
- ONE checklist to maintain instead of two
- Consistent quality standards across workflows
- Documentation properly linked to new comprehensive guides
- No risk of checklist drift
This brings edit-agent to the same quality level as create-agent while adding critical Expert agent support and establishing single source of truth for validation.
Brian Madison
Alex Verkhovsky