BMAD-METHOD/docs/reference/testing.md

title	description	sidebar
Testing Options	Comparing the built-in QA workflow with the Test Architect (TEA) module for test automation.	order 5

BMad provides two testing paths: a built-in QA workflow for fast test generation and an installable Test Architect module for enterprise-grade test strategy.

Which Should You Use?

Factor	Built-in QA	TEA Module
Best for	Small-medium projects, quick coverage	Large projects, regulated or complex domains
Setup	Nothing to install -- included in BMM	Install separately via npx bmad-method install
Approach	Generate tests fast, iterate later	Plan first, then generate with traceability
Test types	API and E2E tests	API, E2E, ATDD, NFR, and more
Strategy	Happy path + critical edge cases	Risk-based prioritization (P0-P3)
Workflow count	1 (Automate)	9 (design, ATDD, automate, review, trace, and others)

:::tip[Start with Built-in QA] Most projects should start with the built-in QA workflow. If you later need test strategy, quality gates, or requirements traceability, install TEA alongside it. :::

Built-in QA Workflow

The built-in QA workflow is included in the BMM (Agile suite) module. It generates working tests quickly using your project's existing test framework -- no configuration or additional installation required.

Trigger: QA or bmad-qa-generate-e2e-tests

What the QA Workflow Does

The QA workflow runs a single workflow (Automate) that walks through five steps:

1. Detect test framework -- scans package.json and existing test files for your framework (Jest, Vitest, Playwright, Cypress, or any standard runner). If none exists, analyzes the project stack and suggests one.
2. Identify features -- asks what to test or auto-discovers features in the codebase.
3. Generate API tests -- covers status codes, response structure, happy path, and 1-2 error cases.
4. Generate E2E tests -- covers user workflows with semantic locators and visible-outcome assertions.
5. Run and verify -- executes the generated tests and fixes failures immediately.

The QA workflow produces a test summary saved to your project's implementation artifacts folder.

Test Patterns

Generated tests follow a "simple and maintainable" philosophy:

• Standard framework APIs only -- no external utilities or custom abstractions
• Semantic locators for UI tests (roles, labels, text rather than CSS selectors)
• Independent tests with no order dependencies
• No hardcoded waits or sleeps
• Clear descriptions that read as feature documentation

:::note[Scope] The QA workflow generates tests only. For code review and story validation, use the Code Review workflow (CR) instead. :::

When to Use Built-in QA

• Quick test coverage for a new or existing feature
• Beginner-friendly test automation without advanced setup
• Standard test patterns that any developer can read and maintain
• Small-medium projects where comprehensive test strategy is unnecessary

Test Architect (TEA) Module

TEA is a standalone module that provides an expert agent (Murat) and nine structured workflows for enterprise-grade testing. It goes beyond test generation into test strategy, risk-based planning, quality gates, and requirements traceability.

• Documentation: TEA Module Docs
• Install: npx bmad-method install and select the TEA module
• npm: bmad-method-test-architecture-enterprise

What TEA Provides

Workflow	Purpose
Test Design	Create a comprehensive test strategy tied to requirements
ATDD	Acceptance-test-driven development with stakeholder criteria
Automate	Generate tests with advanced patterns and utilities
Test Review	Validate test quality and coverage against strategy
Traceability	Map tests back to requirements for audit and compliance
NFR Assessment	Evaluate non-functional requirements (performance, security)
CI Setup	Configure test execution in continuous integration pipelines
Framework Scaffolding	Set up test infrastructure and project structure
Release Gate	Make data-driven go/no-go release decisions

TEA also supports P0-P3 risk-based prioritization and optional integrations with Playwright Utils and MCP tooling.

When to Use TEA

• Projects that require requirements traceability or compliance documentation
• Teams that need risk-based test prioritization across many features
• Enterprise environments with formal quality gates before release
• Complex domains where test strategy must be planned before tests are written
• Projects that have outgrown the built-in QA workflow

How Testing Fits into Workflows

The QA Automate workflow appears in Phase 4 (Implementation) of the BMad Method workflow map. It is designed to run after a full epic is complete — once all stories in an epic have been implemented and code-reviewed. A typical sequence:

1. For each story in the epic: implement with Dev Story (DS), then validate with Code Review (CR)
2. After the epic is complete: generate tests with the QA workflow (QA) or TEA's Automate workflow
3. Run retrospective (bmad-retrospective) to capture lessons learned

The QA workflow works directly from source code without loading planning documents (PRD, architecture). TEA workflows can integrate with upstream planning artifacts for traceability.

For more on where testing fits in the overall process, see the Workflow Map.