BMad CORE + BMad Method

🚨 Alpha Version Notice

v6-alpha is near-beta quality—stable and vastly improved over v4, but documentation is still being refined. New videos coming soon to the BMadCode YouTube channel—subscribe for updates!

Getting Started:

• Install v6 Alpha: npx bmad-method@alpha install
• Install stable v4: npx bmad-method install
• Not sure what to do? Load any agent and run *workflow-init for guided setup
• v4 Users: View v4 documentation or upgrade guide

Universal Human-AI Collaboration Platform

BMad-CORE (Collaboration Optimized Reflection Engine) amplifies human potential through specialized AI agents. Unlike tools that replace thinking, BMad-CORE guides reflective workflows that bring out your best ideas and AI's full capabilities.

The BMad-CORE powers the BMad Method (probably why you're here!), but you can also use BMad Builder to create custom agents, workflows, and modules for any domain—software development, business strategy, creativity, learning, and more.

🎯 Human Amplification • 🎨 Domain Agnostic • ⚡ Agent-Powered

Table of Contents

• BMad CORE + BMad Method
  • Universal Human-AI Collaboration Platform
  • Table of Contents
  • What is BMad-CORE?
    • v6 Core Enhancements
    • C.O.R.E. Philosophy
  • Modules
    • BMad Method (BMM) - AI-Driven Agile Development
      • v6 Highlights
  • 🚀 Quick Start
    • BMad Builder (BMB) - Create Custom Solutions
    • Creative Intelligence Suite (CIS) - Innovation & Creativity
  • Installation
  • 🎯 Working with Agents & Commands
    • Method 1: Agent Menu (Recommended for Beginners)
    • Method 2: Direct Slash Commands
    • Method 3: Party Mode Execution
  • Key Features
    • 🎨 Update-Safe Customization
    • 🚀 Intelligent Installation
    • 📁 Clean Architecture
    • 📄 Document Sharding (Advanced)
  • Documentation
  • Community & Support
  • Development & Quality Checks
    • Testing & Validation
    • Code Quality
    • Build & Development
  • Contributing
  • License

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What is BMad-CORE?

Foundation framework powering all BMad modules:

• Agent Orchestration - Specialized AI personas with domain expertise
• Workflow Engine - Guided multi-step processes with built-in best practices
• Modular Architecture - Extend with domain-specific modules (BMM, BMB, CIS, custom)
• IDE Integration - Works with Claude Code, Cursor, Windsurf, VS Code, and more
• Update-Safe Customization - Your configs persist through all updates

v6 Core Enhancements

• 🎨 Agent Customization - Modify names, roles, personalities via bmad/_cfg/agents/ → Customization Guide
• 🌐 Multi-Language - Independent language settings for communication and output
• 👤 Personalization - Agents adapt to your name, skill level, and preferences
• 🔄 Persistent Config - Customizations survive module updates
• ⚙️ Flexible Settings - Configure per-module or globally
• 📦 Web Bundles - Share agents in Gemini Gems and Custom GPTs → Web Bundles Guide

C.O.R.E. Philosophy

• Collaboration: Human-AI partnership leveraging complementary strengths
• Optimized: Battle-tested processes for maximum effectiveness
• Reflection: Strategic questioning that unlocks breakthrough solutions
• Engine: Framework orchestrating 19+ specialized agents and 50+ workflows

BMad-CORE doesn't give you answers—it helps you discover better solutions through guided reflection.

Modules

BMad Method (BMM) - AI-Driven Agile Development

Revolutionary AI-driven agile framework for software and game development. Automatically adapts from single bug fixes to enterprise-scale systems.

v6 Highlights

🎯 Scale-Adaptive Intelligence (3 Planning Tracks)

Automatically adjusts planning depth and documentation based on project needs:

• Quick Flow Track: Fast implementation (tech-spec only) - bug fixes, small features, clear scope
• BMad Method Track: Full planning (PRD + Architecture + UX) - products, platforms, complex features
• Enterprise Method Track: Extended planning (BMad Method + Security/DevOps/Test) - enterprise requirements, compliance

🏗️ Four-Phase Methodology

1. Phase 1: Analysis (Optional) - Brainstorming, research, product briefs
2. Phase 2: Planning (Required) - Scale-adaptive PRD/tech-spec/GDD
3. Phase 3: Solutioning (Track-dependent) - Architecture, (Coming soon: security, DevOps, test strategy)
4. Phase 4: Implementation (Iterative) - Story-centric development with just-in-time context

🤖 12 Specialized Agents

PM • Analyst • Architect • Scrum Master • Developer • Test Architect (TEA) • UX Designer • Technical Writer • Game Designer • Game Developer • Game Architect • BMad Master (Orchestrator)

📚 Documentation

• Complete Documentation Hub - Start here for all BMM guides
• Quick Start Guide - Get building in 15 minutes
• Agents Guide - Meet all 12 agents (45 min read)
• 34 Workflow Guides - Complete phase-by-phase reference
• BMM Module Overview - Module structure and quick links

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🚀 Quick Start

After installation (see Installation below), choose your path:

Three Planning Tracks:

1. ⚡ Quick Flow Track - Bug fixes and small features

   • 🐛 Bug fixes in minutes
   • ✨ Small features (2-3 related changes)
   • 🚀 Rapid prototyping
   • → Quick Spec Flow Guide

2. 📋 BMad Method Track - Products and platforms

   • Complete planning (PRD/GDD)
   • Architecture decisions
   • Story-centric implementation
   • → Complete Quick Start Guide

3. 🏢 Brownfield Projects - Add to existing codebases

   • Document existing code first
   • Then choose Quick Flow or BMad Method
   • → Brownfield Guide

Not sure which path? Run *workflow-init and let BMM analyze your project goal and recommend the right track.

📚 Learn More: Scale Adaptive System - How BMM adapts across three planning tracks

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BMad Builder (BMB) - Create Custom Solutions

Build your own agents, workflows, and modules using the BMad-CORE framework.

What You Can Build:

• Custom Agents - Domain experts with specialized knowledge
• Guided Workflows - Multi-step processes for any task
• Complete Modules - Full solutions for specific domains
• Three Agent Types - Full module, hybrid, or standalone

Perfect For: Creating domain-specific solutions (legal, medical, finance, education, creative, etc.) or extending BMM with custom development workflows.

Documentation:

• BMB Module Overview - Complete reference
• Create Agent Workflow - Build custom agents
• Create Workflow - Design guided processes
• Create Module - Package complete solutions

Creative Intelligence Suite (CIS) - Innovation & Creativity

AI-powered creative facilitation using proven methodologies and techniques.

5 Interactive Workflows:

• Brainstorming - Generate and refine ideas with 30+ techniques
• Design Thinking - Human-centered problem solving
• Problem Solving - Systematic breakthrough techniques
• Innovation Strategy - Disruptive business model thinking
• Storytelling - Compelling narrative frameworks

5 Specialized Agents: Each with unique facilitation styles and domain expertise

Shared Resource: CIS workflows are used by other modules (BMM's brainstorm-project uses CIS brainstorming)

Documentation:

• CIS Module Overview - Complete reference
• CIS Workflows Guide - All 5 creative workflows

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Installation

Prerequisites: Node.js v20+ (Download)

# v6 Alpha (recommended for new projects)
npx bmad-method@alpha install

# Stable v4 (production)
npx bmad-method install

The installer provides:

1. Module Selection - Choose BMM, BMB, CIS (or all)
2. Configuration - Your name, language preferences, game dev options
3. IDE Integration - Automatic setup for your IDE

Installation creates:

your-project/
└── bmad/
    ├── core/         # Core framework + BMad Master agent
    ├── bmm/          # BMad Method (12 agents, 34 workflows)
    ├── bmb/          # BMad Builder (1 agent, 7 workflows)
    ├── cis/          # Creative Intelligence (5 agents, 5 workflows)
    └── _cfg/         # Your customizations (survives updates)
        └── agents/   # Agent customization files

Next Steps:

1. Load any agent in your IDE
2. Run *workflow-init to set up your project workflow path
3. Follow the Quick Start guide above to choose your planning track

Alternative: Web Bundles - Use BMAD agents in Claude Projects, ChatGPT, or Gemini without installation

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🎯 Working with Agents & Commands

Multiple Ways to Execute Workflows:

BMad is flexible - you can execute workflows in several ways depending on your preference and IDE:

Method 1: Agent Menu (Recommended for Beginners)

1. Load an agent in your IDE (see IDE-specific instructions)
2. Wait for the menu to appear showing available workflows
3. Tell the agent what to run using natural language or shortcuts:
   • Natural: "Run workflow-init"
   • Shortcut: *workflow-init
   • Menu number: "Run option 2"

Method 2: Direct Slash Commands

Execute workflows directly using slash commands:

/bmad:bmm:workflows:workflow-init
/bmad:bmm:workflows:prd
/bmad:bmm:workflows:dev-story

Tip: While you can run these without loading an agent first, loading an agent is still recommended - it can make a difference with certain workflows.

Benefits:

• ✅ Mix and match any agent with any workflow
• ✅ Run workflows not in the loaded agent's menu
• ✅ Faster access for experienced users who know the command names

Method 3: Party Mode Execution

Run workflows with multi-agent collaboration:

1. Start party mode: /bmad:core:workflows:party-mode
2. Execute any workflow - the entire team collaborates on it
3. Get diverse perspectives from multiple specialized agents

Perfect for: Strategic decisions, complex workflows, cross-functional tasks

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📌 IDE-Specific Note:

Slash command format varies by IDE:

• Claude Code: /bmad:bmm:workflows:prd
• Cursor/Windsurf: May use different syntax - check your IDE's documentation
• VS Code with Copilot Chat: Syntax may differ

See IDE Integration Guides for your specific IDE's command format.

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Key Features

🎨 Update-Safe Customization

Modify agents without touching core files:

• Override agent names, personalities, expertise via bmad/_cfg/agents/
• Customizations persist through all updates
• Multi-language support (communication + output)
• Module-level or global configuration

🚀 Intelligent Installation

Smart setup that adapts to your environment:

• Auto-detects v4 installations for smooth upgrades
• Configures IDE integrations (Claude Code, Cursor, Windsurf, VS Code)
• Resolves cross-module dependencies
• Generates unified agent/workflow manifests

📁 Clean Architecture

Everything in one place:

• Single bmad/ folder (no scattered files)
• Modules live side-by-side (core, bmm, bmb, cis)
• Your configs in _cfg/ (survives updates)
• Easy to version control or exclude

📄 Document Sharding (Advanced)

Optional optimization for large projects (BMad Method and Enterprise tracks):

• Massive Token Savings - Phase 4 workflows load only needed sections (90%+ reduction)
• Automatic Support - All workflows handle whole or sharded documents seamlessly
• Easy Setup - Built-in tool splits documents by headings
• Smart Discovery - Workflows auto-detect format

→ Document Sharding Guide

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Documentation

Module Documentation:

• BMM Complete Documentation Hub - All BMM guides, FAQs, troubleshooting
• BMB Module Reference - Build custom agents and workflows
• CIS Workflows Guide - Creative facilitation workflows

Customization & Sharing:

• Agent Customization Guide - Customize agent names, personas, and behaviors
• Web Bundles for Gemini & GPT - Use BMad agents in Gemini Gems and Custom GPTs

Additional Resources:

• Documentation Index - All project documentation
• v4 to v6 Upgrade Guide - Migration instructions
• CLI Tool Guide - Installer and build tool reference
• Contributing Guide - How to contribute

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Community & Support

• 💬 Discord Community - Get help, share projects (#general-dev, #bugs-issues)
• 🐛 GitHub Issues - Report bugs, request features
• 🎥 YouTube Channel - Video tutorials and walkthroughs
• ⭐ Star this repo - Stay updated on releases

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Development & Quality Checks

For contributors working on the BMAD codebase:

Requirements: Node.js 22+ (see .nvmrc). Run nvm use to switch to the correct version.

Testing & Validation

# Run all quality checks (comprehensive - use before pushing)
npm test

# Individual test suites
npm run test:schemas     # Agent schema validation (fixture-based)
npm run test:install     # Installation component tests (compilation)
npm run validate:schemas # YAML schema validation
npm run validate:bundles # Web bundle integrity

Code Quality

# Lint check
npm run lint

# Auto-fix linting issues
npm run lint:fix

# Format check
npm run format:check

# Auto-format all files
npm run format:fix

Build & Development

# Bundle for web deployment
npm run bundle

# Test local installation
npm run install:bmad

Pre-commit Hook: Auto-fixes changed files (lint-staged) + validates everything (npm test) CI: GitHub Actions runs all quality checks in parallel on every PR

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Contributing

We welcome contributions! See CONTRIBUTING.md for:

• Code contribution guidelines
• Documentation improvements
• Module development
• Issue reporting

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License

MIT License - See LICENSE for details

Trademarks: BMAD™ and BMAD-METHOD™ are trademarks of BMad Code, LLC.

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