* feat(bmad-spec): add Spec kernel distiller skill
New 2-plan-workflows skill that distills any intent input (brain dump,
PRD, transcript, brief) into a spec.md carrying the five-field kernel:
Problem, Capabilities, Constraints, Non-goals, Success signal. Headless
callers receive JSON; interactive runs close conversationally with the
spec path and gap-coverage invitations.
Includes:
- SKILL.md with activation contract and conventions
- customize.toml exposing template path, output path, run-folder pattern
- assets/spec-template.md (five-field skeleton)
- assets/headless-schemas.md (JSON IO contracts)
* remove brain-dump fallback config from bmad-spec customize.toml
* refactor(bmad-spec): companions+sources model, routing tilt, flat output path
- Collapse `related:` into `companions:`; companion paths may point inside the spec folder (spec-authored) or outside it (adopted from an upstream skill), distinguished implicitly by path
- `sources:` reserved for fully-absorbed inputs; downstream does NOT read these
- Soften mutation contract: bmad-spec owns SPEC.md and spec-authored companions; adopted companions belong to their originating skill
- Add "when to spawn a companion" tilt: multi-item catalogs, tables, diagrams (always), editorial voice rules; sub-bullets in a kernel field signal it has outgrown the kernel
- Fix Spec Law rule 7 and Pass 2: load-bearing content lands in SPEC.md or a companion, not the decision log (the log records wrapper-drops only)
- Flatten output path to `{planning_artifacts}/specs/spec-{slug}-{date}/`, mirroring `prds/` and `ux-designs/`; drop `spec_folder_name` (no longer used)
- Extract Load-bearing definition into its own section above Spec Law
* chore(core): retire bmad-distillator, promote bmad-spec to core
- Delete bmad-distillator/ and all registry + doc references (superseded by bmad-spec; no skill or workflow in any BMad module invoked it)
- Add bmad-distillator to removals.txt so installer cleans it from existing IDE skill directories on update
- Move bmad-spec from bmm-skills/2-plan-workflows/ to core-skills/ (universal scope: game design, research hypotheses, editorial briefs, policy, business plans, not just software)
- Register bmad-spec in core module-help.csv and bmad-pro-skills marketplace plugin
- Drop bmad-distillator section from core-tools.md (en, vi-vn, cs, fr, zh-cn) and vi-vn dev guide; renumber subsequent sections
* refactor(bmad-spec): add lean-prose discipline + generalize help text
- Add Spec Law rule 8: lean prose. Every sentence carries load-bearing content; cut decoration, hedges, backstory, throat-clearing. Applies to SPEC.md, companions, and decision log.
- Update Self-Validate Pass 1 to enforce rules 1-6 and 8 (rule 7 stays in Pass 2)
- Prime the operation up-front: write lean from the first pass, every sentence must earn its place
- Note in Companions section that companions follow the same lean discipline
- Generalize core module-help.csv entry: domain-agnostic framing (software, game design, research, editorial, policy, business, anything intent-bearing); call out succinct, no-fluff and "locks the WHAT before the HOW" as the value props
* fix(bmad-spec): address PR review findings (CodeRabbit + Augment)
- headless-schemas.md: rewrite spec_path examples to point at the spec folder (not a file), rename source_artifact to sources[] array, add companions[] array, update verdict from "six rules" to "eight rules", disambiguate reason requirement (only when status=blocked)
- SKILL.md activation: fix config path from {project-root}/_bmad/config.yaml to {project-root}/_bmad/core/config.yaml (matches other BMM skills)
- customize.toml + SKILL.md Workspace: drop {date} from default run_folder_pattern (spec-{slug}); same slug = same folder = trivial in-place update, no glob-and-pick-most-recent needed. Override available for users who want dated history.
- spec-template.md: rename "## Success signals" (plural) to "## Success signal" (singular) to match SKILL.md kernel naming
- SKILL.md Frontmatter conventions: fix adopted-companion example path from _bmad-output/ux-designs/foo-ux/DESIGN.md to ../../ux-designs/ux-foo-bar-2026-05-23/DESIGN.md (matches actual flat-output convention)
- SKILL.md Spec Law: fix double-period typo in rule 2 ((stack, conventions)..)
- SKILL.md Overview: fix awkward "bloat with expansive line item details the kernel" phrasing; drop software-flavored downstream consumer list since bmad-spec is now a core skill serving any domain
* fix(bmad-spec): drop {planning_artifacts} dependency; output to {output_folder}/specs
bmad-spec is a core skill but its default path used {planning_artifacts}, a bmm-module variable. Core-only installs (no bmm) would fail at activation when the resolver tried to expand the path.
Land specs directly under {output_folder}/specs/spec-{slug}/ instead. Works in any install regardless of installed modules, and aligns with the long-term BMad direction of grouping artifacts as siblings under {output_folder}/<type>/ rather than nested under planning vs implementation parents.
In bmm installs, adopted-companion paths from spec to UX/PRD pick up one extra .. (e.g., ../planning-artifacts/ux-designs/<run>/DESIGN.md) since the spec folder is now one level up from planning-artifacts. Examples in SKILL.md and headless-schemas.md updated. module-help.csv output-location updated and stale -{date} fragment removed.
* docs(bmad-spec): add reference docs, trim headless schema, tighten defaults
- Add full bmad-spec entry to docs/reference/core-tools.md and table-row
stubs to cs/fr/vi-vn/zh-cn (full translation pending).
- Strip headless-schemas.md to a minimal {status, files} success response
and {status, error_code, reason} blocked response. Drop spec_path,
capabilities, verdict, decision_log_path — all derivable from the files
themselves.
- Narrow customize.toml persistent_facts default from recursive glob to
single {project-root}/project-context.md; document override path.
- Drop unused {doc_workspace} convention line from SKILL.md.
- Clarify Self-Validate verdict handling for interactive vs headless.
- Document missing_slug error code in SKILL.md + headless schema.
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