BMAD-METHOD/docs/tutorials/getting-started/getting-started-bmadv6.md

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Getting Started with the BMad Method	Install BMad and build your first project

Upgrading from previous versions? See the Upgrade Guide instead.

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Build software faster using AI-powered workflows with specialized agents that guide you through planning, architecture, and implementation.

What You'll Learn

• Install and initialize BMad Method for a new project
• Choose the right planning track for your project size
• Progress through phases from requirements to working code
• Use agents and workflows effectively

:::note[Prerequisites]

• Node.js 20+ — Required for the installer
• Git — Recommended for version control
• AI-powered IDE — Claude Code, Cursor, Windsurf, or similar
• A project idea — Even a simple one works for learning :::

:::tip[Quick Path] Install → npx bmad-method@alpha install Initialize → Load Analyst agent, run workflow-init Plan → PM creates PRD, Architect creates architecture Build → SM manages sprints, DEV implements stories Always use fresh chats for each workflow to avoid context issues. :::

Understanding BMad

BMad helps you build software through guided workflows with specialized AI agents. The process follows four phases:

Phase	Name	What Happens
1	Analysis	Brainstorming, research, product brief (optional)
2	Planning	Create requirements (PRD or tech-spec)
3	Solutioning	Design architecture (BMad Method/Enterprise only)
4	Implementation	Build epic by epic, story by story

Complete visual flowchart showing all phases, workflows, and agents for the standard greenfield track.

Based on your project's complexity, BMad offers three planning tracks:

Track	Best For	Documents Created
Quick Flow	Bug fixes, simple features, clear scope (1-15 stories)	Tech-spec only
BMad Method	Products, platforms, complex features (10-50+ stories)	PRD + Architecture + UX
Enterprise	Compliance, multi-tenant systems (30+ stories)	PRD + Architecture + Security + DevOps

:::note Story counts are guidance, not definitions. Choose your track based on planning needs, not story math. :::

Installation

Open a terminal in your project directory and run:

npx bmad-method@alpha install

The interactive installer guides you through setup and creates a _bmad/ folder with all agents and workflows.

Verify your installation:

your-project/
├── _bmad/
│   ├── bmm/            # Method module
│   │   ├── agents/     # Agent files
│   │   ├── workflows/  # Workflow files
│   │   └── config.yaml # Module config
│   └── core/           # Core utilities
├── _bmad-output/       # Generated artifacts (created later)
└── .claude/            # IDE configuration (if using Claude Code)

:::tip[Troubleshooting] Having issues? See Install BMad for common solutions. :::

Step 1: Initialize Your Project

Load the Analyst agent in your IDE, wait for the menu, then run workflow-init.

:::note[How to Load Agents] Type /<agent-name> in your IDE and use autocomplete. Not sure what's available? Start with /bmad to see all agents and workflows. :::

The workflow asks you to describe your project, whether it's new or existing, and the general complexity. Based on your description, it recommends a planning track.

Once you confirm, the workflow creates bmm-workflow-status.yaml to track your progress through all phases.

:::caution[Fresh Chats] Always start a fresh chat for each workflow. This prevents context limitations from causing issues. :::

Step 2: Create Your Plan

After initialization, work through phases 1-3. Use fresh chats for each workflow.

:::tip[Check Your Status] Unsure what's next? Load any agent and ask for workflow-status. It tells you the next recommended or required workflow. :::

Phase 1: Analysis (Optional)

All workflows in this phase are optional:

• brainstorm-project — Guided ideation
• research — Market and technical research
• product-brief — Recommended foundation document

Phase 2: Planning (Required)

For BMad Method and Enterprise tracks:

1. Load the PM agent in a new chat
2. Run the PRD workflow: *prd
3. Output: PRD.md

For Quick Flow track:

• Use tech-spec instead of PRD, then skip to implementation

:::note[UX Design (Optional)] If your project has a user interface, load the UX-Designer agent and run the UX design workflow after creating your PRD. :::

Phase 3: Solutioning (BMad Method/Enterprise)

Create Architecture

1. Load the Architect agent in a new chat
2. Run create-architecture
3. Output: Architecture document with technical decisions

Create Epics and Stories

:::tip[V6 Improvement] Epics and stories are now created after architecture. This produces better quality stories because architecture decisions (database, API patterns, tech stack) directly affect how work should be broken down. :::

1. Load the PM agent in a new chat
2. Run create-epics-and-stories
3. The workflow uses both PRD and Architecture to create technically-informed stories

Implementation Readiness Check (Highly Recommended)

1. Load the Architect agent in a new chat
2. Run implementation-readiness
3. Validates cohesion across all planning documents

Step 3: Build Your Project

Once planning is complete, move to implementation. Each workflow should run in a fresh chat.

Initialize Sprint Planning

Load the SM agent and run sprint-planning. This creates sprint-status.yaml to track all epics and stories.

The Build Cycle

For each story, repeat this cycle with fresh chats:

Step	Agent	Workflow	Purpose
1	SM	create-story	Create story file from epic
2	DEV	dev-story	Implement the story
3	TEA	automate	Generate guardrail tests (optional)
4	DEV	code-review	Quality validation (recommended)

After completing all stories in an epic, load the SM agent and run retrospective.

What You've Accomplished

You've learned the foundation of building with BMad:

• Installed BMad and configured it for your IDE
• Initialized a project with your chosen planning track
• Created planning documents (PRD, Architecture, Epics & Stories)
• Understood the build cycle for implementation

Your project now has:

your-project/
├── _bmad/                         # BMad configuration
├── _bmad-output/
│   ├── PRD.md                     # Your requirements document
│   ├── architecture.md            # Technical decisions
│   ├── epics/                     # Epic and story files
│   ├── bmm-workflow-status.yaml   # Phase progress tracking
│   └── sprint-status.yaml         # Sprint tracking
└── ...

Quick Reference

Command	Agent	Purpose
*workflow-init	Analyst	Initialize a new project
*workflow-status	Any	Check progress and next steps
*prd	PM	Create Product Requirements Document
*create-architecture	Architect	Create architecture document
*create-epics-and-stories	PM	Break down PRD into epics
*implementation-readiness	Architect	Validate planning cohesion
*sprint-planning	SM	Initialize sprint tracking
*create-story	SM	Create a story file
*dev-story	DEV	Implement a story
*code-review	DEV	Review implemented code

Common Questions

Do I always need architecture? Only for BMad Method and Enterprise tracks. Quick Flow skips from tech-spec to implementation.

Can I change my plan later? Yes. The SM agent has a correct-course workflow for handling scope changes.

What if I want to brainstorm first? Load the Analyst agent and run brainstorm-project before workflow-init.

Can I skip workflow-init and workflow-status? Yes, once you learn the flow. Use the Quick Reference to go directly to needed workflows.

Getting Help

• During workflows — Agents guide you with questions and explanations
• Community — Discord (#bmad-method-help, #report-bugs-and-issues)
• Documentation — BMM Workflow Reference
• Video tutorials — BMad Code YouTube

Key Takeaways

:::tip[Remember These]

• Always use fresh chats — Load agents in new chats for each workflow
• Let workflow-status guide you — Ask any agent for status when unsure
• Track matters — Quick Flow uses tech-spec; Method/Enterprise need PRD and architecture
• Tracking is automatic — Status files update themselves
• Agents are flexible — Use menu numbers, shortcuts (*prd), or natural language :::

Ready to start? Install BMad, load the Analyst, run workflow-init, and let the agents guide you.