124 lines
4.7 KiB
Markdown
124 lines
4.7 KiB
Markdown
---
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title: "Quick Fixes"
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description: How to make quick fixes and ad-hoc changes
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sidebar:
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order: 5
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---
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Use the **DEV agent** directly for bug fixes, refactorings, or small targeted changes that don't require the full BMad Method or Quick Flow.
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## When to Use This
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- Bug fixes with a clear, known cause
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- Small refactorings (rename, extract, restructure) contained within a few files
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- Minor feature tweaks or configuration changes
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- Exploratory work to understand an unfamiliar codebase
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:::note[Prerequisites]
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- BMad Method installed (`npx bmad-method install`)
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- An AI-powered IDE (Claude Code, Cursor, or similar)
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:::
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## Choose Your Approach
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| Situation | Agent | Why |
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| --- | --- | --- |
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| Fix a specific bug or make a small, scoped change | **DEV agent** | Jumps straight into implementation without planning overhead |
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| Change touches several files or you want a written plan first | **Quick Flow Solo Dev** | Clarifies intent, plans, implements, and reviews in a single workflow so the agent stays aligned to your standards |
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If you are unsure, start with the DEV agent. You can always escalate to Quick Flow if the change grows.
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## Steps
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### 1. Invoke the DEV Agent
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Start a **fresh chat** in your AI IDE and invoke the DEV agent skill:
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```text
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bmad-dev
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```
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This loads the agent's persona and capabilities into the session. If you decide you need Quick Flow instead, invoke the **Quick Flow Solo Dev** agent skill in a fresh chat:
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```text
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bmad-quick-flow-solo-dev
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```
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Once the Solo Dev agent is loaded, describe your change and tell it to run **quick-dev**. The workflow will clarify your intent, create a plan, implement the change, run a code review, and present results — all in a single run.
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:::tip[Fresh Chats]
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Always start a new chat session when loading an agent. Reusing a session from a previous workflow can cause context conflicts.
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:::
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### 2. Describe the Change
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Tell the agent what you need in plain language. Be specific about the problem and, if you know it, where the relevant code lives.
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:::note[Example Prompts]
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**Bug fix** -- "Fix the login validation bug that allows empty passwords. The validation logic is in `src/auth/validate.ts`."
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**Refactoring** -- "Refactor the UserService to use async/await instead of callbacks."
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**Configuration change** -- "Update the CI pipeline to cache node_modules between runs."
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**Dependency update** -- "Upgrade the express dependency to the latest v5 release and fix any breaking changes."
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:::
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You don't need to provide every detail. The agent will read the relevant source files and ask clarifying questions when needed.
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### 3. Let the Agent Work
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The agent will:
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- Read and analyze the relevant source files
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- Propose a solution and explain its reasoning
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- Implement the change across the affected files
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- Run your project's test suite if one exists
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If your project has tests, the agent runs them automatically after making changes and iterates until tests pass. For projects without a test suite, verify the change manually (run the app, hit the endpoint, check the output).
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### 4. Review and Verify
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Before committing, review what changed:
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- Read through the diff to confirm the change matches your intent
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- Run the application or tests yourself to double-check
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- If something looks wrong, tell the agent what to fix -- it can iterate in the same session
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Once satisfied, commit the changes with a clear message describing the fix.
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:::caution[If Something Breaks]
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If a committed change causes unexpected issues, use `git revert HEAD` to undo the last commit cleanly. Then start a fresh chat with the DEV agent to try a different approach.
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:::
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## Learning Your Codebase
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The DEV agent is also useful for exploring unfamiliar code. Load it in a fresh chat and ask questions:
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:::note[Example Prompts]
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"Explain how the authentication system works in this codebase."
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"Show me where error handling happens in the API layer."
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"What does the `ProcessOrder` function do and what calls it?"
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:::
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Use the agent to learn about your project, understand how components connect, and explore unfamiliar areas before making changes.
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## What You Get
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- Modified source files with the fix or refactoring applied
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- Passing tests (if your project has a test suite)
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- A clean commit describing the change
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No planning artifacts are produced -- that's the point of this approach.
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## When to Upgrade to Formal Planning
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Consider using [Quick Flow](../explanation/quick-flow.md) or the full BMad Method when:
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- The change affects multiple systems or requires coordinated updates across many files
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- You are unsure about the scope and need a spec to think it through
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- The fix keeps growing in complexity as you work on it
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- You need documentation or architectural decisions recorded for the team
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