Getting Started

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

What You’ll Learn

Section titled “What You’ll Learn”

  • Install and initialize BMad Method for a new project
  • Use BMad-Help — your intelligent guide that knows what to do next
  • Choose the right planning track for your project size
  • Progress through phases from requirements to working code
  • Use agents and workflows effectively

Meet BMad-Help: Your Intelligent Guide

Section titled “Meet BMad-Help: Your Intelligent Guide”

BMad-Help is the fastest way to get started with BMad. You don’t need to memorize workflows or phases — just ask, and BMad-Help will:

  • Inspect your project to see what’s already been done
  • Show your options based on which modules you have installed
  • Recommend what’s next — including the first required task
  • Answer questions like “I have a SaaS idea, where do I start?”

How to Use BMad-Help

Section titled “How to Use BMad-Help”

Run it in your AI IDE by invoking the skill:

Or combine it with a question for context-aware guidance:

bmad-help I have an idea for a SaaS product, I already know all the features I want. where do I get started?

BMad-Help will respond with:

  • What’s recommended for your situation
  • What the first required task is
  • What the rest of the process looks like

It Powers Workflows Too

Section titled “It Powers Workflows Too”

BMad-Help doesn’t just answer questions — it automatically runs at the end of every workflow to tell you exactly what to do next. No guessing, no searching docs — just clear guidance on the next required workflow.

Understanding BMad

Section titled “Understanding BMad”

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

PhaseNameWhat Happens
1AnalysisBrainstorming, research, product brief (optional)
2PlanningCreate requirements (PRD or tech-spec)
3SolutioningDesign architecture (BMad Method/Enterprise only)
4ImplementationBuild epic by epic, story by story

Open the Workflow Map to explore phases, workflows, and context management.

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

TrackBest ForDocuments Created
Quick FlowBug fixes, simple features, clear scope (1-15 stories)Tech-spec only
BMad MethodProducts, platforms, complex features (10-50+ stories)PRD + Architecture + UX
EnterpriseCompliance, multi-tenant systems (30+ stories)PRD + Architecture + Security + DevOps

Open a terminal in your project directory and run:

If you want the newest prerelease build instead of the default release channel, use npx bmad-method@next install.

When prompted to select modules, choose BMad Method.

The installer creates two folders:

  • _bmad/ — agents, workflows, tasks, and configuration
  • _bmad-output/ — empty for now, but this is where your artifacts will be saved

Step 1: Create Your Plan

Section titled “Step 1: Create Your Plan”

Work through phases 1-3. Use fresh chats for each workflow.

Phase 1: Analysis (Optional)

Section titled “Phase 1: Analysis (Optional)”

All workflows in this phase are optional:

  • brainstorming (bmad-brainstorming) — Guided ideation
  • research (bmad-research) — Market and technical research
  • create-product-brief (bmad-create-product-brief) — Recommended foundation document

Phase 2: Planning (Required)

Section titled “Phase 2: Planning (Required)”

For BMad Method and Enterprise tracks:

  1. Invoke the PM agent (bmad-pm) in a new chat
  2. Run the bmad-create-prd workflow (bmad-create-prd)
  3. Output: PRD.md

For Quick Flow track:

  • Use the bmad-quick-spec workflow (bmad-quick-spec) instead of PRD, then skip to implementation

Phase 3: Solutioning (BMad Method/Enterprise)

Section titled “Phase 3: Solutioning (BMad Method/Enterprise)”

Create Architecture

  1. Invoke the Architect agent (bmad-architect) in a new chat
  2. Run bmad-create-architecture (bmad-create-architecture)
  3. Output: Architecture document with technical decisions

Create Epics and Stories

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

Implementation Readiness Check (Highly Recommended)

  1. Invoke the Architect agent (bmad-architect) in a new chat
  2. Run bmad-check-implementation-readiness (bmad-check-implementation-readiness)
  3. Validates cohesion across all planning documents

Step 2: Build Your Project

Section titled “Step 2: Build Your Project”

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

Initialize Sprint Planning

Section titled “Initialize Sprint Planning”

Invoke the SM agent (bmad-sm) and run bmad-sprint-planning (bmad-sprint-planning). This creates sprint-status.yaml to track all epics and stories.

For each story, repeat this cycle with fresh chats:

StepAgentWorkflowCommandPurpose
1SMbmad-create-storybmad-create-storyCreate story file from epic
2DEVbmad-dev-storybmad-dev-storyImplement the story
3DEVbmad-code-reviewbmad-code-reviewQuality validation (recommended)

After completing all stories in an epic, invoke the SM agent (bmad-sm) and run bmad-retrospective (bmad-retrospective).

What You’ve Accomplished

Section titled “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/

│ ├── planning-artifacts/

│ │ ├── PRD.md # Your requirements document

│ │ ├── architecture.md # Technical decisions

│ │ └── epics/ # Epic and story files

│ ├── implementation-artifacts/

│ │ └── sprint-status.yaml # Sprint tracking

│ └── project-context.md # Implementation rules (optional)

└── ...

WorkflowCommandAgentPurpose
bmad-helpbmad-helpAnyYour intelligent guide — ask anything!
bmad-create-prdbmad-create-prdPMCreate Product Requirements Document
bmad-create-architecturebmad-create-architectureArchitectCreate architecture document
bmad-generate-project-contextbmad-generate-project-contextAnalystCreate project context file
bmad-create-epics-and-storiesbmad-create-epics-and-storiesPMBreak down PRD into epics
bmad-check-implementation-readinessbmad-check-implementation-readinessArchitectValidate planning cohesion
bmad-sprint-planningbmad-sprint-planningSMInitialize sprint tracking
bmad-create-storybmad-create-storySMCreate a story file
bmad-dev-storybmad-dev-storyDEVImplement a story
bmad-code-reviewbmad-code-reviewDEVReview implemented code

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 bmad-correct-course workflow (bmad-correct-course) for handling scope changes.

What if I want to brainstorm first? Invoke the Analyst agent (bmad-analyst) and run bmad-brainstorming (bmad-brainstorming) before starting your PRD.

Do I need to follow a strict order? Not strictly. Once you learn the flow, you can run workflows directly using the Quick Reference above.

  • During workflows — Agents guide you with questions and explanations
  • CommunityDiscord (#bmad-method-help, #report-bugs-and-issues)

Ready to start? Install BMad, invoke bmad-help, and let your intelligent guide lead the way.