81 lines
2.8 KiB
Markdown
81 lines
2.8 KiB
Markdown
---
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title: "Brownfield Development FAQ"
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description: Common questions about brownfield development in the BMad Method
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---
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Quick answers to common questions about brownfield (existing codebase) development in the BMad Method.
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---
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## Q: What is brownfield vs greenfield?
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**A:**
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- **Greenfield:** New project, starting from scratch, clean slate
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- **Brownfield:** Existing project, working with established codebase and patterns
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## Q: Do I have to run document-project for brownfield?
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**A:** Highly recommended, especially if:
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- No existing documentation
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- Documentation is outdated
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- AI agents need context about existing code
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- Level 2-4 complexity
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You can skip it if you have comprehensive, up-to-date documentation including `docs/index.md`.
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## Q: What if I forget to run document-project on brownfield?
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**A:** Workflows will lack context about existing code. You may get:
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- Suggestions that don't match existing patterns
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- Integration approaches that miss existing APIs
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- Architecture that conflicts with current structure
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Run document-project and restart planning with proper context.
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## Q: Can I use Quick Spec Flow for brownfield projects?
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**A:** Yes! Quick Spec Flow works great for brownfield. It will:
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- Auto-detect your existing stack
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- Analyze brownfield code patterns
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- Detect conventions and ask for confirmation
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- Generate context-rich tech-spec that respects existing code
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Perfect for bug fixes and small features in existing codebases.
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## Q: How does workflow-init handle brownfield with old planning docs?
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**A:** workflow-init asks about YOUR current work first, then uses old artifacts as context:
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1. Shows what it found (old PRD, epics, etc.)
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2. Asks: "Is this work in progress, previous effort, or proposed work?"
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3. If previous effort: Asks you to describe your NEW work
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4. Determines level based on YOUR work, not old artifacts
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This prevents old Level 3 PRDs from forcing Level 3 workflow for new Level 0 bug fix.
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## Q: What if my existing code doesn't follow best practices?
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**A:** Quick Spec Flow detects your conventions and asks: "Should I follow these existing conventions?" You decide:
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- **Yes** → Maintain consistency with current codebase
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- **No** → Establish new standards (document why in tech-spec)
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BMM respects your choice - it won't force modernization, but it will offer it.
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---
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## Related Documentation
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- [Quick Start Guide](../../tutorials/getting-started/getting-started-bmadv6.md) - Get started with BMM
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- [Brownfield Guide](../../how-to/brownfield/index.md) - Existing codebase workflows
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- [Glossary](../../reference/glossary/index.md) - Terminology reference
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---
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**Have a question not answered here?** Please [open an issue](https://github.com/bmad-code-org/BMAD-METHOD/issues) or ask in [Discord](https://discord.gg/gk8jAdXWmj) so we can add it!
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