BMAD-METHOD/CHANGELOG.md

# Changelog

## [6.0.0-alpha.17]

**Release: December 16, 2025**

### 🚀 Revolutionary Installer Overhaul

**Unified Installation Experience:**

- **Streamlined Module Installation**: Completely redesigned installer with unified flow for both core and custom content
- **Single Install Panel**: Eliminated disjointed clearing between modules for smoother, more intuitive installation
- **Quick Default Selection**: New quick install feature with default selections for faster setup of selected modules
- **Enhanced UI/UX**: Improved question order, reduced verbose output, and cleaner installation interface
- **Logical Question Flow**: Reorganized installer questions to follow natural progression and user expectations

**Custom Content Installation Revolution:**

- **Full Custom Content Support**: Re-enabled complete custom content generation and sharing through the installer
- **Custom Module Tracking**: Manifest now tracks custom modules separately to ensure they're always installed from the custom cache
- **Custom Installation Order**: Custom modules now install after core modules for better dependency management
- **Quick Update with Custom Content**: Quick update now properly retains and updates custom content
- **Agent Customization Integration**: Customizations are now applied during quick updates and agent compilation

### 🧠 Revolutionary Agent Memory & Visibility System

**Breaking Through Dot-Folder Limitations:**

- **Dot-Folder to Underscore Migration**: Critical change from `.bmad` to `_bmad` ensures LLMs (Codex, Claude, and others) can no longer ignore or skip BMAD content - dot folders are commonly filtered out by AI systems
- **Universal Content Visibility**: Underscore folders are treated as regular content, ensuring full AI agent access to all BMAD resources and configurations
- **Agent Memory Architecture**: Rolled out comprehensive agent memory support for installed agents with `-sidecar` folders
- **Persistent Agent Learning**: Sidecar content installs to `_bmad/_memory`, giving each agent the ability to learn and remember important information specific to its role

**Content Location Strategy:**

- **Standardized Memory Location**: All sidecar content now uses `_bmad/_memory` as the unified location for agent memories
- **Segregated Output System**: New architecture supports differentiating between ephemeral Phase 4 artifacts and long-term documentation
- **Forward Compatibility**: Existing installations continue working with content in docs folder, with optimization coming in next release
- **Configuration Cleanup**: Renamed `_cfg` to `_config` for clearer naming conventions
- **YAML Library Consolidation**: Reduced dependency to use only one YAML library for better stability

### 🎯 Future-Ready Architecture

**Content Organization Preview:**

- **Phase 4 Artifact Segregation**: Infrastructure ready for separating ephemeral workflow artifacts from permanent documentation
- **Planning vs Implementation Docs**: New system will differentiate between planning artifacts and long-term project documentation
- **Backward Compatibility**: Current installs maintain full functionality while preparing for optimized content organization
- **Quick Update Path**: Tomorrow's quick update will fully optimize all BMM workflows to use new segregated output locations

### 🎯 Sample Modules & Documentation

**Comprehensive Examples:**

- **Sample Unitary Module**: Complete example with commit-poet agent and quiz-master workflow
- **Sample Wellness Module**: Meditation guide and wellness companion agents demonstrating advanced patterns
- **Enhanced Documentation**: Updated README files and comprehensive installation guides
- **Custom Content Creation Guides**: Step-by-step documentation for creating and sharing custom modules

### 🔧 Bug Fixes & Optimizations

**Installer Improvements:**

- **Fixed Duplicate Entry Issue**: Resolved duplicate entries in files manifest
- **Reduced Log Noise**: Less verbose logging during installation for cleaner user experience
- **Menu Wording Updates**: Improved menu text for better clarity and understanding
- **Fixed Quick Install**: Resolved issues with quick installation functionality

**Code Quality:**

- **Minor Code Cleanup**: General cleanup and refactoring throughout the codebase
- **Removed Unused Code**: Cleaned up deprecated and unused functionality
- **Release Workflow Restoration**: Fixed automated release workflow for v6

**BMM Phase 4 Workflow Improvements:**

- **Sprint Status Enhancement**: Improved sprint-status validation with interactive correction for unknown values and better epic status handling
- **Story Status Standardization**: Normalized all story status references to lowercase kebab-case (ready-for-dev, in-progress, review, done)
- **Removed Stale Story State**: Eliminated deprecated 'drafted' story state - stories now go directly from creation to ready-for-dev
- **Code Review Clarity**: Improved code review completion message from "Story is ready for next work!" to "Code review complete!" for better clarity
- **Risk Detection Rules**: Rewrote risk detection rules for better LLM clarity and fixed warnings vs risks naming inconsistency

### 📊 Statistics

- **40+ commits** since alpha.16
- **Major installer refactoring** with complete UX overhaul
- **2 new sample modules** with comprehensive examples
- **Full custom content support** re-enabled and improved

### 🌟 Key Highlights

1. **Installer Revolution**: The installation system has been completely overhauled for better user experience, reliability, and speed
2. **Custom Content Freedom**: Users can now easily create, share, and install custom content through the streamlined installer
3. **AI Visibility Breakthrough**: Migration from `.bmad` to `_bmad` ensures LLMs can access all BMAD content (dot folders are commonly ignored by AI systems)
4. **Agent Memory System**: Rolled out persistent agent memory support - agents with `-sidecar` folders can now learn and remember important information in `_bmad/_memory`
5. **Quick Default Selection**: Installation is now faster with smart default selections for popular configurations
6. **Future-Ready Architecture**: Infrastructure in place for segregating ephemeral artifacts from permanent documentation (full optimization coming in next release)

## [6.0.0-alpha.16]

**Release: December 10, 2025**

### 🔧 Temporary Changes & Fixes

**Installation Improvements:**

- **Temporary Custom Content Installation Disable**: Custom content installation temporarily disabled to improve stability
- **BMB Workflow Path Fixes**: Fixed numerous path references in BMB workflows to ensure proper step file resolution
- **Package Updates**: Updated dependencies for improved security and performance

**Path Resolution Improvements:**

- **BMB Agent Builder Fixes**: Corrected path references in step files and documentation
- **Workflow Path Standardization**: Ensured consistent path handling across all BMB workflows
- **Documentation References**: Updated internal documentation links and references

**Cleanup Changes:**

- **Example Modules Removal**: Temporarily removed example modules to prevent accidental installation
- **Memory Management**: Improved sidecar file handling for custom modules

### 📊 Statistics

- **336 files changed** with path fixes and improvements
- **4 commits** since alpha.15

---

## [6.0.0-alpha.15]

**Release: December 7, 2025**

### 🔧 Module Installation Standardization

**Unified Module Configuration:**

- **module.yaml Standard**: All modules now use `module.yaml` instead of `_module-installer/install-config.yaml` for consistent configuration (BREAKING CHANGE)
- **Universal Installer**: Both core and custom modules now use the same installer with consistent behavior
- **Streamlined Module Creation**: Module builder templates updated to use new module.yaml standard
- **Enhanced Module Discovery**: Improved module caching and discovery mechanisms

**Custom Content Installation Revolution:**

- **Interactive Custom Content Search**: Installer now proactively asks if you have custom content to install
- **Flexible Location Specification**: Users can indicate custom content location during installation
- **Improved Custom Module Handler**: Enhanced error handling and debug output for custom installations
- **Comprehensive Documentation**: New custom-content-installation.md guide (245 lines) replacing custom-agent-installation.md

### 🤖 Code Review Integration Expansion

**AI Review Tools:**

- **CodeRabbit AI Integration**: Added .coderabbit.yaml configuration for automated code review
- **Raven's Verdict PR Review Tool**: New PR review automation tool (297 lines of documentation)
- **Review Path Configuration**: Proper exclusion patterns for node_modules and generated files
- **Review Documentation**: Comprehensive usage guidance and skip conditions for PRs

### 📚 Documentation Improvements

**Documentation Restructuring:**

- **Code of Conduct**: Moved to .github/ folder following GitHub standards
- **Gem Creation Link**: Updated to point to Gemini Gem manager instead of deprecated interface
- **Example Custom Content**: Improved README files and disabled example modules to prevent accidental installation
- **Custom Module Documentation**: Enhanced module installation guides with new YAML structure

### 🧹 Cleanup & Optimization

**Memory Management:**

- **Removed Hardcoded .bmad Folders**: Cleaned up demo content to use configurable paths
- **Sidecar File Cleanup**: Removed old .bmad-user-memory folders from wellness modules
- **Example Content Organization**: Better organization of example-custom-content directory

**Installer Improvements:**

- **Debug Output Enhancement**: Added informative debug output when installer encounters errors
- **Custom Module Caching**: Improved caching mechanism for custom module installations
- **Consistent Behavior**: All modules now behave consistently regardless of custom or core status

### 📊 Statistics

- **77 files changed** with 2,852 additions and 607 deletions
- **15 commits** since alpha.14

### ⚠️ Breaking Changes

1. **module.yaml Configuration**: All modules must now use `module.yaml` instead of `_module-installer/install-config.yaml`
   - Core modules updated automatically
   - Custom modules will need to rename their configuration file
   - Module builder templates generate new format

### 📦 New Dependencies

- No new dependencies added in this release

---

## [6.0.0-alpha.14]

**Release: December 7, 2025**

### 🔧 Installation & Configuration Revolution

**Custom Module Installation Overhaul:**

- **Simple custom.yaml Installation**: Custom agents and workflows can now be installed with a single YAML file
- **IDE Configuration Preservation**: Upgrades will no longer delete custom modules, agents, and workflows from IDE configuration
- **Removed Legacy agent-install Command**: Streamlined installation process (BREAKING CHANGE)
- **Sidecar File Retention**: Custom sidecar files are preserved during updates
- **Flexible Agent Sidecar Locations**: Fully configurable via config options instead of hardcoded paths

**Module Discovery System Transformation:**

- **Recursive Agent Discovery**: Deep scanning for agents across entire project structure
- **Enhanced Manifest Generation**: Comprehensive scanning of all installed modules
- **Nested Agent Support**: Fixed nested agents appearing in CLI commands
- **Module Reinstall Fix**: Prevented modules from showing as obsolete during reinstall

### 🏗️ Advanced Builder Features

**Workflow Builder Evolution:**

- **Continuable Workflows**: Create workflows with sophisticated branching and continuation logic
- **Template LOD Options**: Level of Detail output options for flexible workflow generation
- **Step-Based Architecture**: Complete conversion to granular step-file system
- **Enhanced Creation Process**: Improved workflow creation with better template handling

**Module Builder Revolution:**

- **11-Step Module Creation**: Comprehensive step-by-step module generation process
- **Production-Ready Templates**: Complete templates for agents, installers, and workflow plans
- **Built-in Validation System**: Ensures module quality and BMad Core compliance
- **Professional Documentation**: Auto-generated module documentation and structure

### 🚀 BMad Method (BMM) Enhancements

**Workflow Improvements:**

- **Brownfield PRD Support**: Enhanced PRD workflow for existing project integration
- **Sprint Status Command**: New workflow for tracking development progress
- **Step-Based Format**: Improved continue functionality across all workflows
- **Quick-Spec-Flow Documentation**: Rapid development specification flows

**Documentation Revolution:**

- **Comprehensive Troubleshooting Guide**: 680-line detailed troubleshooting documentation
- **Quality Check Integration**: Added markdownlint-cli2 for markdown quality assurance
- **Enhanced Test Architecture**: Improved CI/CD templates and testing workflows

### 🌟 New Features & Integrations

**Kiro-Cli Installer:**

- **Intelligent Routing**: Smart routing to quick-dev workflow
- **BMad Core Compliance**: Full compliance with BMad standards

**Discord Notifications:**

- **Compact Format**: Streamlined plain-text notifications
- **Bug Fixes**: Resolved notification delivery issues

**Example Mental Wellness Module (MWM):**

- **Complete Module Example**: Demonstrates advanced module patterns
- **Multiple Agents**: CBT Coach, Crisis Navigator, Meditation Guide, Wellness Companion
- **Workflow Showcase**: Crisis support, daily check-in, meditation, journaling workflows

### 🐛 Bug Fixes & Optimizations

- Fixed version reading from package.json instead of hardcoded fallback
- Removed hardcoded years from WebSearch queries
- Removed broken build caching mechanism
- Enhanced TTS injection summary with tracking and documentation
- Fixed CI nvmrc configuration issues

### 📊 Statistics

- **335 files changed** with 17,161 additions and 8,204 deletions
- **46 commits** since alpha.13

### ⚠️ Breaking Changes

1. **Removed agent-install Command**: Migrate to new custom.yaml installation system
2. **Agent Sidecar Configuration**: Now requires explicit config instead of hardcoded paths

### 📦 New Dependencies

- `markdownlint-cli2: ^0.19.1` - Professional markdown linting

---

## [6.0.0-alpha.13]

**Release: November 30, 2025**

### 🏗️ Revolutionary Workflow Architecture

- **Step-File System**: Complete conversion to granular step-file architecture with dynamic menu generation
- **Phase 4 Transformation**: Simplified architecture with sprint planning integration (Jira, Linear, Trello)
- **Performance Improvements**: Eliminated time-based estimates, reduced file loading times
- **Legacy Cleanup**: Removed all deprecated workflows for cleaner system

### 🤖 Agent System Revolution

- **Universal Custom Agent Support**: Extended to ALL IDEs including Antigravity and Rovo Dev
- **Agent Creation Workflow**: Enhanced with better documentation and parameter clarity
- **Multi-Source Discovery**: Agents now check multiple source locations for better discovery
- **GitHub Migration**: Integration moved from chatmodes to agents folder

### 🧪 Testing Infrastructure

- **Playwright Utils Integration**: @seontechnologies/playwright-utils across all testing workflows
- **TTS Injection System**: Complete text-to-speech integration for voice feedback
- **Web Bundle Test Support**: Enabled web bundles for test environments

### ⚠️ Breaking Changes

1. **Legacy Workflows Removed**: Migrate to new stepwise sharded workflows
2. **Phase 4 Restructured**: Update automation expecting old Phase 4 structure
3. **Agent Compilation Required**: Custom agents must use new creation workflow

## [6.0.0-alpha.12]

**Release: November 19, 2025**

### 🐛 Bug Fixes

- Added missing `yaml` dependency to fix `MODULE_NOT_FOUND` error when running `npx bmad-method install`

## [6.0.0-alpha.11]

**Release: November 18, 2025**

### 🚀 Agent Installation Revolution

- **bmad agent-install CLI**: Interactive agent installation with persona customization
- **4 Reference Agents**: commit-poet, journal-keeper, security-engineer, trend-analyst
- **Agent Compilation Engine**: YAML → XML with smart handler injection
- **60 Communication Presets**: Pure communication styles for agent personas

### 📚 BMB Agent Builder Enhancement

- **Complete Documentation Suite**: 7 new guides for agent architecture and creation
- **Expert Agent Sidecar Support**: Multi-file agents with templates and knowledge bases
- **Unified Validation**: 160-line checklist shared across workflows
- **BMM Agent Voices**: All 9 agents enhanced with distinct communication styles

### 🎯 Workflow Architecture Change

- **Epic Creation Moved**: Now in Phase 3 after Architecture for technical context
- **Excalidraw Distribution**: Diagram capabilities moved to role-appropriate agents
- **Google Antigravity IDE**: New installer with flattened file naming

### ⚠️ Breaking Changes

1. **Frame Expert Retired**: Use role-appropriate agents for diagrams
2. **Agent Installation**: New bmad agent-install command replaces manual installation
3. **Epic Creation Phase**: Moved from Phase 2 to Phase 3

## [6.0.0-alpha.10]

**Release: November 16, 2025**

- **Epics After Architecture**: Major milestone - technically-informed user stories created post-architecture
- **Frame Expert Agent**: New Excalidraw specialist with 4 diagram workflows
- **Time Estimate Prohibition**: Warnings across 33 workflows acknowledging AI's impact on development speed
- **Platform-Specific Commands**: ide-only/web-only fields filter menu items by environment
- **Agent Customization**: Enhanced memory/prompts merging via \*.customize.yaml files

## [6.0.0-alpha.9]

**Release: November 12, 2025**

- **Intelligent File Discovery**: discover_inputs with FULL_LOAD, SELECTIVE_LOAD, INDEX_GUIDED strategies
- **3-Track System**: Simplified from 5 levels to 3 intuitive tracks
- **Web Bundles Guide**: Comprehensive documentation with 60-80% cost savings strategies
- **Unified Output Structure**: Eliminated .ephemeral/ folders - single configurable output folder
- **BMGD Phase 4**: Added 10 game development workflows with BMM patterns

## [6.0.0-alpha.8]

**Release: November 9, 2025**

- **Configurable Installation**: Custom directories with .bmad hidden folder default
- **Optimized Agent Loading**: CLI loads from installed files, eliminating duplication
- **Party Mode Everywhere**: All web bundles include multi-agent collaboration
- **Phase 4 Artifact Separation**: Stories, code reviews, sprint plans configurable outside docs
- **Expanded Web Bundles**: All BMM, BMGD, CIS agents bundled with elicitation integration

## [6.0.0-alpha.7]

**Release: November 7, 2025**

- **Workflow Vendoring**: Web bundler performs automatic cross-module dependency vendoring
- **BMGD Module Extraction**: Game development split into standalone 4-phase structure
- **Enhanced Dependency Resolution**: Better handling of web_bundle: false workflows
- **Advanced Elicitation Fix**: Added missing CSV files to workflow bundles
- **Claude Code Fix**: Resolved README slash command installation regression

## [6.0.0-alpha.6]

**Release: November 4, 2025**

- **Critical Installer Fixes**: Fixed manifestPath error and option display issues
- **Conditional Docs Installation**: Optional documentation to reduce production footprint
- **Improved Installer UX**: Better formatting with descriptive labels and clearer feedback
- **Issue Tracker Cleanup**: Closed 54 legacy v4 issues for focused v6 development
- **Contributing Updates**: Removed references to non-existent branches

## [6.0.0-alpha.5]

**Release: November 4, 2025**

- **3-Track Scale System**: Simplified from 5 levels to 3 intuitive preference-driven tracks
- **Elicitation Modernization**: Replaced legacy XML tags with explicit invoke-task pattern
- **PM/UX Evolution**: Added November 2025 industry research on AI Agent PMs
- **Brownfield Reality Check**: Rewrote Phase 0 with 4 real-world scenarios
- **Documentation Accuracy**: All agent capabilities now match YAML source of truth

## [6.0.0-alpha.4]

**Release: November 2, 2025**

- **Documentation Hub**: Created 18 comprehensive guides (7000+ lines) with professional standards
- **Paige Agent**: New technical documentation specialist across all BMM phases
- **Quick Spec Flow**: Intelligent Level 0-1 planning with auto-stack detection
- **Universal Shard-Doc**: Split large markdown documents with dual-strategy loading
- **Intent-Driven Planning**: PRD and Product Brief transformed from template-filling to conversation

## [6.0.0-alpha.3]

**Release: October 2025**

- **Codex Installer**: Custom prompts in `.codex/prompts/` directory structure
- **Bug Fixes**: Various installer and workflow improvements
- **Documentation**: Initial documentation structure established

## [6.0.0-alpha.0]

**Release: September 28, 2025**

- **Lean Core**: Simple common tasks and agents (bmad-web-orchestrator, bmad-master)
- **BMad Method (BMM)**: Complete scale-adaptive rewrite supporting projects from small enhancements to massive undertakings
- **BoMB**: BMad Builder for creating and converting modules, workflows, and agents
- **CIS**: Creative Intelligence Suite for ideation and creative workflows
- **Game Development**: Full subclass of game-specific development patterns**Note**: Version 5.0.0 was skipped due to NPX registry issues that corrupted the version. Development continues with v6.0.0-alpha.0.

## [v4.43.0](https://github.com/bmad-code-org/BMAD-METHOD/releases/tag/v4.43.0)

**Release: August-September 2025 (v4.31.0 - v4.43.1)**

Focus on stability, ecosystem growth, and professional tooling.

### Major Integrations

- **Codex CLI & Web**: Full Codex integration with web and CLI modes
- **Auggie CLI**: Augment Code integration
- **iFlow CLI**: iFlow support in installer
- **Gemini CLI Custom Commands**: Enhanced Gemini CLI capabilities

### Expansion Packs

- **Godot Game Development**: Complete game dev workflow
- **Creative Writing**: Professional writing agent system
- **Agent System Templates**: Template expansion pack (Part 2)

### Advanced Features

- **AGENTS.md Generation**: Auto-generated agent documentation
- **NPM Script Injection**: Automatic package.json updates
- **File Exclusion**: `.bmad-flattenignore` support for flattener
- **JSON-only Integration**: Compact integration mode

### Quality & Stability

- **PR Validation Workflow**: Automated contribution checks
- **Fork-Friendly CI/CD**: Opt-in mechanism for forks
- **Code Formatting**: Prettier integration with pre-commit hooks
- **Update Checker**: `npx bmad-method update-check` command

### Flattener Improvements

- Detailed statistics with emoji-enhanced `.stats.md`
- Improved project root detection
- Modular component architecture
- Binary directory exclusions (venv, node_modules, etc.)

### Documentation & Community

- Brownfield document naming consistency fixes
- Architecture template improvements
- Trademark and licensing clarity
- Contributing guidelines refinement

### Developer Experience

- Version synchronization scripts
- Manual release workflow enhancements
- Automatic release notes generation
- Changelog file path configuration

[View v4.43.1 tag](https://github.com/bmad-code-org/BMAD-METHOD/tree/v4.43.1)

## [v4.30.0](https://github.com/bmad-code-org/BMAD-METHOD/releases/tag/v4.30.0)

**Release: July 2025 (v4.21.0 - v4.30.4)**

Introduction of advanced IDE integrations and command systems.

### Claude Code Integration

- **Slash Commands**: Native Claude Code slash command support for agents
- **Task Commands**: Direct task invocation via slash commands
- **BMad Subdirectory**: Organized command structure
- **Nested Organization**: Clean command hierarchy

### Agent Enhancements

- BMad-master knowledge base loading
- Improved brainstorming facilitation
- Better agent task following with cost-saving model combinations
- Direct commands in agent definitions

### Installer Improvements

- Memory-efficient processing
- Clear multi-select IDE prompts
- GitHub Copilot support with improved UX
- ASCII logo (because why not)

### Platform Support

- Windows compatibility improvements (regex fixes, newline handling)
- Roo modes configuration
- Support for multiple CLI tools simultaneously

### Expansion Ecosystem

- 2D Unity Game Development expansion pack
- Improved expansion pack documentation
- Better isolated expansion pack installations

[View v4.30.4 tag](https://github.com/bmad-code-org/BMAD-METHOD/tree/v4.30.4)

## [v4.20.0](https://github.com/bmad-code-org/BMAD-METHOD/releases/tag/v4.20.0)

**Release: June 2025 (v4.11.0 - v4.20.0)**

Major focus on documentation quality and expanding QA agent capabilities.

### Documentation Overhaul

- **Workflow Diagrams**: Visual explanations of planning and development cycles
- **QA Role Expansion**: QA agent transformed into senior code reviewer
- **User Guide Refresh**: Complete rewrite with clearer explanations
- **Contributing Guidelines**: Clarified principles and contribution process

### QA Agent Transformation

- Elevated from simple tester to senior developer/code reviewer
- Code quality analysis and architectural feedback
- Pre-implementation review capabilities
- Integration with dev cycle for quality gates

### IDE Ecosystem Growth

- **Cline IDE Support**: Added configuration for Cline
- **Gemini CLI Integration**: Native Gemini CLI support
- **Expansion Pack Installation**: Automated expansion agent setup across IDEs

### New Capabilities

- Markdown-tree integration for document sharding
- Quality gates to prevent task completion with failures
- Enhanced brownfield workflow documentation
- Team-based agent bundling improvements

### Developer Tools

- Better expansion pack isolation
- Automatic rule generation for all supported IDEs
- Common files moved to shared locations
- Hardcoded dependencies removed from installer

[View v4.20.0 tag](https://github.com/bmad-code-org/BMAD-METHOD/tree/v4.20.0)

## [v4.10.0](https://github.com/bmad-code-org/BMAD-METHOD/releases/tag/v4.10.0)

**Release: June 2025 (v4.3.0 - v4.10.3)**

This release focused on making BMAD more configurable and adaptable to different project structures.

### Configuration System

- **Optional Core Config**: Document sharding and core configuration made optional
- **Flexible File Resolution**: Support for non-standard document structures
- **Debug Logging**: Configurable debug mode for agent troubleshooting
- **Fast Update Mode**: Quick updates without breaking customizations

### Agent Improvements

- Clearer file resolution instructions for all agents
- Fuzzy task resolution for better agent autonomy
- Web orchestrator knowledge base expansion
- Better handling of deviant PRD/Architecture structures

### Installation Enhancements

- V4 early detection for improved update flow
- Prevented double installation during updates
- Better handling of YAML manifest files
- Expansion pack dependencies properly included

### Bug Fixes

- SM agent file resolution issues
- Installer upgrade path corrections
- Bundle build improvements
- Template formatting fixes

[View v4.10.3 tag](https://github.com/bmad-code-org/BMAD-METHOD/tree/v4.10.3)

## [v4.0.0](https://github.com/bmad-code-org/BMAD-METHOD/releases/tag/v4.0.0)

**Release: June 20, 2025 (v4.0.0 - v4.2.0)**

Version 4 represented a complete architectural overhaul, transforming BMAD from a collection of prompts into a professional, distributable framework.

### Framework Transformation

- **NPM Package**: Professional distribution and simple installation via `npx bmad-method install`
- **Modular Architecture**: Move to `.bmad-core` hidden folder structure
- **Multi-IDE Support**: Unified support for Claude Code, Cursor, Roo, Windsurf, and many more
- **Schema Standardization**: YAML-based agent and team definitions
- **Automated Installation**: One-command setup with upgrade detection

### Agent System Overhaul

- Agent team workflows (fullstack, no-ui, all agents)
- Web bundle generation for platform-agnostic deployment
- Task-based architecture (separate task definitions from agents)
- IDE-specific agent activation (slash commands for Claude Code, rules for Cursor, etc.)

### New Capabilities

- Brownfield project support (existing codebases)
- Greenfield project workflows (new projects)
- Expansion pack architecture for domain specialization
- Document sharding for better context management
- Automatic semantic versioning and releases

### Developer Experience

- Automatic upgrade path from v3 to v4
- Backup creation for user customizations
- VSCode settings and markdown linting
- Comprehensive documentation restructure

[View v4.2.0 tag](https://github.com/bmad-code-org/BMAD-METHOD/tree/v4.2.0)

## [v3.0.0](https://github.com/bmad-code-org/BMAD-METHOD/releases/tag/v3.0.0)

**Release: May 20, 2025**

Version 3 introduced the revolutionary orchestrator concept, creating a unified agent experience.

### Major Features

- **BMad Orchestrator**: Uber-agent that orchestrates all specialized agents
- **Web-First Approach**: Streamlined web setup with pre-compiled agent bundles
- **Simplified Onboarding**: Complete setup in minutes with clear quick-start guide
- **Build System**: Scripts to compile web agents from modular components

### Architecture Changes

- Consolidated agent system with centralized orchestration
- Web build sample folder with ready-to-deploy configurations
- Improved documentation structure with visual setup guides
- Better separation between web and IDE workflows

### New Capabilities

- Single agent interface (`/help` command system)
- Brainstorming and ideation support
- Integrated method explanation within the agent itself
- Cross-platform consistency (Gemini Gems, Custom GPTs)

[View V3 Branch](https://github.com/bmad-code-org/BMAD-METHOD/tree/V3)

## [v2.0.0](https://github.com/bmad-code-org/BMAD-METHOD/releases/tag/v2.0.0)

**Release: April 17, 2025**

Version 2 addressed the major shortcomings of V1 by introducing separation of concerns and quality validation mechanisms.

### Major Improvements

- **Template Separation**: Templates decoupled from agent definitions for greater flexibility
- **Quality Checklists**: Advanced elicitation checklists to validate document quality
- **Web Agent Discovery**: Recognition of Gemini Gems and Custom GPTs power for structured planning
- **Granular Web Agents**: Simplified, clearly-defined agent roles optimized for web platforms
- **Installer**: A project installer that copied the correct files to a folder at the destination

### Key Features

- Separated template files from agent personas
- Introduced forced validation rounds through checklists
- Cost-effective structured planning workflow using web platforms
- Self-contained agent personas with external template references

### Known Issues

- Duplicate templates/checklists for web vs IDE versions
- Manual export/import workflow between agents
- Creating each web agent separately was tedious

[View V2 Branch](https://github.com/bmad-code-org/BMAD-METHOD/tree/V2)

## [v1.0.0](https://github.com/bmad-code-org/BMAD-METHOD/releases/tag/v1.0.0)

**Initial Release: April 6, 2025**

The original BMAD Method was a tech demo showcasing how different custom agile personas could be used to build out artifacts for planning and executing complex applications from scratch. This initial version established the foundation of the AI-driven agile development approach.

### Key Features

- Introduction of specialized AI agent personas (PM, Architect, Developer, etc.)
- Template-based document generation for planning artifacts
- Emphasis on planning MVP scope with sufficient detail to guide developer agents
- Hard-coded custom mode prompts integrated directly into agent configurations
- The OG of Context Engineering in a structured way

### Limitations

- Limited customization options
- Web usage was complicated and not well-documented
- Rigid scope and purpose with templates coupled to agents
- Not optimized for IDE integration

[View V1 Branch](https://github.com/bmad-code-org/BMAD-METHOD/tree/V1)

## Installation

```bash
npx bmad-method
```

For detailed release notes, see the [GitHub releases page](https://github.com/bmad-code-org/BMAD-METHOD/releases).