What is the Best Way to Setup BMAD Method in an Existing Legacy Project?

[lngyeen]

Hello,
I have an existing project that I would like to refactor or set up using the BMAD method. What is the recommended approach to integrate BMAD into an older codebase? Are there any guidelines or steps to follow for setting up BMAD in a legacy project?
Looking forward to your advice!

[fabb]

v4 contains some tasks to work with brownfield projects, e.g.: https://github.com/bmadcode/BMAD-METHOD/blob/v4-alpha/bmad-core/ide-workflows/brownfield-fullstack.yml

i have not tried it yet though.

[sh0yu]

Yeah, that’s exactly where it differs from task-mater.
Developers usually join existing projects, so instead of writing a new PRD, they need to follow the existing repo’s rules and add new features.
If there’s a solid workflow for that, I think it could be a real game-changer.

[titocr]

There may be some assessment process to get to where the codebase is 'certified' AI ready. Otherwise you're facing garbage in, garbage out.

[bmadcode]

yep exactly @titocr ! The main key and will be in v4 is the ability to have a task to analyze a code base and create useful core documentation and then working with the pm on a brownfield prd for a new add on that might be multiple epics and require a prd, and maybe limited architecture based on the current state of things.

What is in the alpha branch is 100% untested re the brownfield items, they are placeholders to improve during beta release. but now in the Alpha branch, really no data on the current utility of them without a lot of work still needed.

[OpenInterYRZ]

I have tried in my repo :

1. In cursor, set up the bmad mode in the chat window, and ask bmad using cursor to generate the whole project's structure file, put it in the /docs folder.

2. When a new feature comes in, make a new folder like /docs/feature1 ,and generate the new feature's prd ,arch, ui, epic, story.

3. In the chat window , set up some more prompts like: The whole project's arch.md is at /docs, refer to that doc for the whole pict
   
   ure, then implement the new story.