BMad Method v4.44.1

🚀 What's New in v4.44.1

✨ New Features

• feat: implement fork-friendly CI/CD with opt-in mechanism (#476)
• feat(installer): add Codex CLI + Codex Web modes, generate AGENTS.md, inject npm scripts, and docs (#529)
• feat: add PR validation workflow and contribution checks
• feat: Add Auggie CLI (Augment Code) Integration (#520)
• feat: enhance file exclusion capabilities with .bmad-flattenignore support (#531)
• feat: add iflow cli support to bmad installer. (#510)
• feat(opencode): add JSON-only integration and compact AGENTS.md generator (#570)

🐛 Bug Fixes

• fix: update installer version display to show 4.39.0
• fix: prettier fixes
• fix: previous merge set wrong default install location
• fix: documentation and trademark updates
• fix: remove incorrect else branch causing flatten command regression (#452)
• fix: correct dependency path format in bmad-master agent (#495)
• fix: Codex options missing from the IDE selection menu (#535)
• Fixed: "glob" is not defined (#504)
• fix: Template file extension in validation next story steps (#523)
• fix: update .gitignore to correct cursor file entry (#485)
• fix: update workflow file extensions from .md to .yaml in bmad-master.md (#562)
• fix: Changed title to coding standards section of brownfield architecture template (#564)
• fix: BMAD Brownfield Document Naming Inconsistency Bug (#627)

📦 Other Changes

• patch: move script to tools folder
• typo in README.md (#515)
• Update dev.md (#491)
• test: trigger PR validation (#533)
• docs: remove misplaced Codex section from README
• Expansion pack doc correction
• added gemini cli custom commands! (#549)
• Update ide-setup.js - add missing glob require (#514)
• Godot Game Dev expansion pack for BMAD (#532)
• documentation updates
• remove errant command from readme
• version up

🔧 Maintenance

• chore: bump to 4.39.1 to fix installer version display
• chore: update project dependencies and development tooling (#508)
• chore: bump version to 4.42.0 for release
• chore: sync version to 4.42.1 after release

📦 Installation

npx bmad-method install

Full Changelog: v4.39.0...v4.44.1

Version 4.43 - Maturity & Ecosystem Expansion

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

Version 4.30 - IDE Innovation & Claude Code

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

Version 4.20 - Documentation Revolution & QA Enhancement

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

Version 4.10 - Configuration & Flexibility

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

Version 1.0 - The Original Vision

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

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

Version 4.0 - Enterprise Framework & NPM Distribution

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 via npx bmad-method install
• Modular Architecture: Move to .bmad-core hidden folder structure
• Multi-IDE Support: Unified support for Claude, Cursor, Roo, Windsurf, and 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

Version 3.0 - The Orchestrator Era

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

Version 2.0 - Templates & Checklists

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

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