BMAD-METHOD/docs/explanation/features/quick-flow.md

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Quick Spec Flow	Understanding Quick Spec Flow for rapid development in BMad Method

Quick Spec Flow is a streamlined alternative to the full BMad Method for Quick Flow track projects. Instead of going through Product Brief → PRD → Architecture, you go straight to a context-aware technical specification and start coding.

Perfect for: Bug fixes, small features, rapid prototyping, and quick enhancements

Time to implementation: Minutes, not hours

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When to Use Quick Flow

✅ Use Quick Flow when:

• Single bug fix or small enhancement
• Small feature with clear scope (typically 1-15 stories)
• Rapid prototyping or experimentation
• Adding to existing brownfield codebase
• You know exactly what you want to build

❌ Use BMad Method or Enterprise when:

• Building new products or major features
• Need stakeholder alignment
• Complex multi-team coordination
• Requires extensive planning and architecture

💡 Not sure? Run workflow-init to get a recommendation based on your project's needs!

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Quick Flow Overview

flowchart TD
    START[Step 1: Run Tech-Spec Workflow]
    DETECT[Detects project stack]
    ANALYZE[Analyzes brownfield codebase]
    TEST[Detects test frameworks]
    CONFIRM[Confirms conventions]
    GENERATE[Generates context-rich tech-spec]
    STORIES[Creates ready-to-implement stories]
    IMPL[Step 2: Implement with DEV Agent]
    DONE[DONE!]

    START --> DETECT
    DETECT --> ANALYZE
    ANALYZE --> TEST
    TEST --> CONFIRM
    CONFIRM --> GENERATE
    GENERATE --> STORIES
    STORIES --> IMPL
    IMPL --> DONE

    style START fill:#bfb,stroke:#333,stroke-width:2px
    style IMPL fill:#bbf,stroke:#333,stroke-width:2px
    style DONE fill:#f9f,stroke:#333,stroke-width:3px

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What Makes It Quick

• ✅ No Product Brief needed
• ✅ No PRD needed
• ✅ No Architecture doc needed
• ✅ Auto-detects your stack
• ✅ Auto-analyzes brownfield code
• ✅ Auto-validates quality
• ✅ Story context optional (tech-spec is comprehensive!)

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Smart Context Discovery

Quick Spec Flow automatically discovers and uses:

Existing Documentation

• Product briefs (if they exist)
• Research documents
• document-project output (brownfield codebase map)

Project Stack

• Node.js: package.json → frameworks, dependencies, scripts
• Python: requirements.txt, pyproject.toml → packages, tools
• Ruby: Gemfile → gems and versions
• Java: pom.xml, build.gradle → Maven/Gradle dependencies
• Go: go.mod → modules
• Rust: Cargo.toml → crates

Brownfield Code Patterns

• Directory structure and organization
• Existing code patterns (class-based, functional, MVC)
• Naming conventions
• Test frameworks and patterns
• Code style configurations

Convention Confirmation

Quick Spec Flow detects your conventions and asks for confirmation:

I've detected these conventions in your codebase:

Code Style:
- ESLint with Airbnb config
- Prettier with single quotes

Test Patterns:
- Jest test framework
- .test.js file naming

Should I follow these existing conventions? (yes/no)

You decide: Conform to existing patterns or establish new standards!

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Auto-Validation

Quick Spec Flow automatically validates everything:

• ✅ Context gathering completeness
• ✅ Definitiveness (no "use X or Y" statements)
• ✅ Brownfield integration quality
• ✅ Stack alignment
• ✅ Implementation readiness

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Comparison: Quick Flow vs Full BMM

Aspect	Quick Flow Track	BMad Method/Enterprise Tracks
Setup	None (standalone)	workflow-init recommended
Planning Docs	tech-spec.md only	Product Brief → PRD → Architecture
Time to Code	Minutes	Hours to days
Best For	Bug fixes, small features	New products, major features
Context Discovery	Automatic	Manual + guided
Validation	Auto-validates everything	Manual validation steps
Brownfield	Auto-analyzes and conforms	Manual documentation required

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When to Graduate to BMad Method

Start with Quick Flow, but switch to BMad Method when:

• ❌ Project grows beyond initial scope
• ❌ Multiple teams need coordination
• ❌ Stakeholders need formal documentation
• ❌ Product vision is unclear
• ❌ Architectural decisions need deep analysis
• ❌ Compliance/regulatory requirements exist

💡 Tip: You can always run workflow-init later to transition from Quick Flow to BMad Method!

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Related

• Create Tech Spec - How to use Quick Flow
• Quick Start Guide - Getting started
• Four Phases - Understanding the full methodology