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- Documentation is outdated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