9.1 KiB
🚀 BMad Method v6 - Start New Project Guide
Complete step-by-step guide to use BMad in any new project
📋 Prerequisites
✅ BMad v6 Alpha installed (you have this!) ✅ Global commands configured (you have this!) ✅ Claude Code installed
🎯 Quick Start (3 Steps)
Step 1: Set Up BMad Workspace
# Navigate to your project (or create it)
mkdir -p /Users/hbl/Documents/your-project
cd /Users/hbl/Documents/your-project
# Set up BMad workspace
bmad-init $(pwd)
What this does:
- Creates
.bmad/folder structure - Links to central BMad installation
- Configures project-specific settings
Step 2: Open in Claude Code
cd /Users/hbl/Documents/your-project
claude-code .
Step 3: Start Planning
In Claude Code, type / and select:
/bmad:bmm:workflows:plan-project
That's it! BMad will guide you through the rest.
📁 What Gets Created
When you run bmad-init, this structure is created:
your-project/
├── .bmad/ # BMad workspace (isolated to this project)
│ ├── .bmadrc # Project configuration
│ ├── .gitignore # Git ignore rules
│ ├── README.md # Workspace documentation
│ ├── analysis/ # Research & brainstorming
│ ├── planning/ # PRDs & architecture docs
│ ├── stories/ # Development stories
│ ├── sprints/ # Sprint tracking
│ ├── retrospectives/ # Learnings
│ └── context/ # Story-specific expertise
├── [your existing files]
Important: The .bmad/ folder is local to your project. Each project has its own isolated workspace.
🔄 Complete BMad Workflow
Phase 1: Analysis (Optional)
Start with research or brainstorming:
/bmad:bmm:workflows:brainstorm-project # Ideation
/bmad:bmm:workflows:research # Market/tech research
/bmad:bmm:workflows:product-brief # Product strategy
Outputs saved to: .bmad/analysis/
Phase 2: Planning (Required)
Create your PRD and architecture:
/bmad:bmm:workflows:plan-project ⭐ Start here!
What happens:
- BMad asks about your project (size, type, stack, etc.)
- Automatically determines scale (Level 0-4)
- Creates appropriate documentation:
- Level 0-1: Simple tech spec
- Level 2: Focused PRD
- Level 3-4: Full PRD + Architecture
Outputs saved to: .bmad/planning/
Phase 3: Solutioning (Level 3-4 Only)
For larger projects, create technical specs:
/bmad:bmm:workflows:solution-architecture # Full architecture
/bmad:bmm:workflows:tech-spec # Epic-specific tech spec
Outputs saved to: .bmad/planning/
Phase 4: Implementation (Iterative)
Now the real work begins:
1. Generate Stories
/bmad:bmm:workflows:create-story
Creates development stories from your PRD
Output: .bmad/stories/STORY-001-description.md
2. Add Technical Context (NEW in v6!)
/bmad:bmm:workflows:story-context
Injects specialized expertise for the specific story
Output: .bmad/context/STORY-001-context.md
3. Implement Story
/bmad:bmm:workflows:dev-story
Developer agent implements the story with full context
4. Review Code
/bmad:bmm:workflows:review-story
Senior reviewer validates implementation
5. Repeat for Each Story
Continue steps 1-4 for all stories in your sprint
6. Sprint Retrospective
/bmad:bmm:workflows:retrospective
Learn and improve after each sprint
Output: .bmad/retrospectives/sprint-N-retro.md
🎯 Example: Complete First Story
Starting from a new project:
# 1. Set up workspace
cd /Users/hbl/Documents/my-app
bmad-init $(pwd)
# 2. Open Claude Code
claude-code .
In Claude Code:
# 3. Create PRD
/bmad:bmm:workflows:plan-project
# Answer questions like:
# - What are you building?
# - New or existing codebase?
# - Tech stack?
# - Team size?
# - Timeline?
# 4. Generate first story
/bmad:bmm:workflows:create-story
# 5. Add context to story
/bmad:bmm:workflows:story-context
# 6. Implement story
/bmad:bmm:workflows:dev-story
# 7. Review implementation
/bmad:bmm:workflows:review-story
# 8. After sprint, do retro
/bmad:bmm:workflows:retrospective
All artifacts saved in: /Users/hbl/Documents/my-app/.bmad/
🛠️ Available Agents
Activate specific agents for specialized tasks:
/bmad:bmm:agents:analyst # Research & analysis
/bmad:bmm:agents:pm # Product planning
/bmad:bmm:agents:architect # Technical architecture
/bmad:bmm:agents:sm # Scrum master / story management
/bmad:bmm:agents:dev # Development
/bmad:bmm:agents:sr # Senior code reviewer
/bmad:bmm:agents:ux # UX design
/bmad:bmm:agents:qa # QA testing
Use agents when:
- You need specialized expertise
- Workflows don't fit your needs
- You want direct agent interaction
📊 Project Scale Levels
BMad automatically adapts to your project size:
| Level | Stories | Docs Created | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 1 atomic change | Tech spec only | Bug fixes, tiny features |
| 1 | 1-10 stories | Minimal PRD | Small features |
| 2 | 5-15 stories | Focused PRD | Medium features |
| 3 | 12-40 stories | Full PRD + Arch | Large features |
| 4 | 40+ stories | Enterprise docs | Major projects |
The /bmad:bmm:workflows:plan-project workflow determines the scale automatically!
🔍 Verify Setup
After running bmad-init:
# Check workspace structure
ls -la .bmad
# Should show:
# .bmadrc, analysis/, planning/, stories/, sprints/, retrospectives/, context/
# Check configuration
cat .bmad/.bmadrc
# Should show:
# BMAD_HOME="/Users/hbl/Documents/BMAD-METHOD/bmad"
# PROJECT_NAME="your-project"
# etc.
# Test slash commands
cd your-project
claude-code .
# Type / and look for /bmad:* commands
💡 Pro Tips
1. Start Small
# For new projects, start with minimal planning
/bmad:bmm:workflows:plan-project
# Answer honestly about scope - let BMad adapt
2. Use Story Context
# Always add context before implementing
/bmad:bmm:workflows:story-context
# This provides specialized technical expertise
3. Iterate Quickly
# Don't create all stories upfront
# Create 1-3 stories → implement → review → repeat
4. Keep Workspace Clean
# All BMad artifacts go in .bmad/
# Your actual code stays in src/, app/, etc.
# Never mix them!
5. Retrospect Regularly
# After each sprint (or every 5 stories):
/bmad:bmm:workflows:retrospective
🆘 Troubleshooting
Issue: Can't find /bmad commands
Fix:
# Update slash commands
bmad-update-commands
# Restart Claude Code
Issue: Workspace not detected
Fix:
# Verify .bmad exists
ls -la .bmad
# If missing, recreate
bmad-init $(pwd)
Issue: Wrong project detected
Fix:
# Check current directory
pwd
# Make sure you're in the right project
cd /Users/hbl/Documents/correct-project
# Then open Claude Code
claude-code .
📚 Multiple Projects
You can have BMad in multiple projects simultaneously:
# Set up project 1
bmad-init /Users/hbl/Documents/web-app
# Set up project 2
bmad-init /Users/hbl/Documents/mobile-app
# Set up project 3
bmad-init /Users/hbl/Documents/api-service
# List all BMad projects
bmad-list
Each project is completely isolated:
- Own
.bmad/workspace - Own documentation
- Own stories and sprints
- All using the same central BMad installation!
🎓 Learning Resources
Quick Reference
bmad-quick | less
Full Documentation
bmad-docs # List all documentation files
Video Tutorial
Visit: https://www.youtube.com/@BMadCode
Community
✅ Checklist: Starting a New Project
- Navigate to project directory
- Run
bmad-init $(pwd) - Verify
.bmad/created - Open in Claude Code:
claude-code . - Start planning:
/bmad:bmm:workflows:plan-project - Create first story:
/bmad:bmm:workflows:create-story - Add context:
/bmad:bmm:workflows:story-context - Implement:
/bmad:bmm:workflows:dev-story - Review:
/bmad:bmm:workflows:review-story - Retrospect:
/bmad:bmm:workflows:retrospective
🚀 Ready to Start?
Option 1: Use Your Actual Project
cd /Users/hbl/Documents/your-real-project
bmad-init $(pwd)
claude-code .
# Type: /bmad:bmm:workflows:plan-project
Option 2: Practice with Demo
mkdir /Users/hbl/Documents/bmad-demo
cd /Users/hbl/Documents/bmad-demo
bmad-init $(pwd)
claude-code .
# Type: /bmad:bmm:workflows:plan-project
Option 3: Use Example Project
# I already created one for you!
cd /Users/hbl/Documents/project
claude-code .
# Type: /bmad:bmm:workflows:plan-project
That's it! You now know how to start using BMad Method v6 in any new project! 🎉
BMad v6 Alpha | Start New Project Guide | 2025-10-07