BMAD-METHOD/docs/template-markup-references.md

Old Template Markup System References

This document catalogs all references to the old template markup system found in the BMAD-METHOD documentation and codebase.

Summary of Old Markup Patterns

The old template markup system used the following patterns:

• [[LLM: ...]] - LLM-only processing directives
• {{placeholders}} - Variable substitution
• <<REPEAT section="name">> - Repeatable sections
• ^^CONDITION: condition_name^^ - Conditional blocks
• @{examples} - Example content markers

Files Containing References

1. Primary Documentation Files

/Users/brianmadison/dev-bmc/BMAD-METHOD/docs/user-guide.md

• Lines 149-155: Describes template structure with placeholders and LLM instructions
• Lines 229-230: References advanced elicitation with embedded LLM instructions
• Lines 527-549: Shows custom template creation with LLM instructions and placeholders
• Lines 590-632: Detailed template patterns including variables, AI processing, and conditionals
• Lines 619-623: References to @{example} patterns and [[LLM:]] instructions

/Users/brianmadison/dev-bmc/BMAD-METHOD/docs/core-architecture.md

• Lines 93-104: Describes templates as self-contained with embedded LLM instructions
• Lines 97-104: Mentions template-format.md specification with placeholders and LLM directives

/Users/brianmadison/dev-bmc/BMAD-METHOD/CLAUDE.md

• Lines 37, 262: References to template instructions using [[LLM: ...]] markup
• Line 38: Mentions templates with embedded LLM instructions

2. Common Utilities

/Users/brianmadison/dev-bmc/BMAD-METHOD/common/utils/bmad-doc-template.md

• Lines 296-324: Migration section describes converting from legacy markdown+frontmatter templates
• Lines 319-323: Specific conversion instructions for old markup patterns

3. Task Files

/Users/brianmadison/dev-bmc/BMAD-METHOD/bmad-core/tasks/shard-doc.md

• Lines 11-30: Contains LLM instructions embedded in the task
• Line 160: References preserving template markup including {{placeholders}} and [[LLM instructions]]

/Users/brianmadison/dev-bmc/BMAD-METHOD/expansion-packs/bmad-creator-tools/tasks/generate-expansion-pack.md

• Lines 10-14: Describes template systems with LLM instruction embedding
• Lines 107-118: Template section planning with LLM instructions
• Lines 229-245: Detailed LLM instruction patterns for templates
• Lines 569-593: Advanced template design patterns
• Lines 229, 573: Specific examples of [[LLM:]] usage
• Line 574: References conditional content with ^^CONDITION:^^
• Line 576: Mentions iteration controls with <<REPEAT>>

4. Agent and Template Files

Multiple agent and task files contain actual usage of the old markup system (22 files found with [[LLM:]] patterns), including:

• Story templates
• Checklists
• Task definitions
• Workflow plans

Key Observations

1. Documentation vs Implementation: The documentation heavily references the old markup system, while the new YAML-based template system (bmad-doc-template.md) is already defined but not yet reflected in the main documentation.

2. Migration Path: The bmad-doc-template.md file includes a migration section (lines 316-324) that explicitly maps old patterns to new YAML structures.

3. Active Usage: Many core tasks and templates still actively use the old markup patterns, particularly [[LLM:]] instructions embedded within markdown files.

4. Inconsistency: Some files reference a template-format.md file that doesn't exist in the expected locations, suggesting incomplete migration or documentation updates.

Recommendations

1. Update User Guide: The user guide needs significant updates to reflect the new YAML-based template system
2. Update Core Architecture Docs: Remove references to embedded LLM instructions in templates
3. Create Template Migration Guide: A comprehensive guide for converting existing templates
4. Update Extension Pack Documentation: The bmad-creator-tools expansion pack documentation needs updates
5. Audit Active Templates: Review and migrate templates that still use the old markup system