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92 changes: 18 additions & 74 deletions docs/how-to/get-answers-about-bmad.md
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---

## Start Here: BMad-Help
Use BMad's built-in help, source docs, or the community to get answers — from quickest to most thorough.

**The fastest way to get answers about BMad is the `bmad-help` skill.** This intelligent guide will answer upwards of 80% of all questions and is available to you directly in your IDE as you work.
## 1. Ask BMad-Help

BMad-Help is more than a lookup tool — it:
- **Inspects your project** to see what's already been completed
- **Understands natural language** — ask questions in plain English
- **Varies based on your installed modules** — shows relevant options
- **Auto-runs after workflows** — tells you exactly what to do next
- **Recommends the first required task** — no guessing where to start

### How to Use BMad-Help

Call it by name in your AI session:

```
bmad-help
```

:::tip
You can also use `/bmad-help` or `$bmad-help` depending on your platform, but just `bmad-help` should work everywhere.
:::

Combine it with a natural language query:
The fastest way to get answers. The `bmad-help` skill is available directly in your AI session and handles over 80% of questions — it inspects your project, sees what you've completed, and tells you what to do next.

```
bmad-help I have a SaaS idea and know all the features. Where do I start?
bmad-help What are my options for UX design?
bmad-help I'm stuck on the PRD workflow
bmad-help Show me what's been done so far
```

BMad-Help responds with:
- What's recommended for your situation
- What the first required task is
- What the rest of the process looks like

## When to Use This Guide

Use this section when:
- You want to understand BMad's architecture or internals
- You need answers outside of what BMad-Help provides
- You're researching BMad before installing
- You want to explore the source code directly

## Steps

### 1. Choose Your Source

| Source | Best For | Examples |
| -------------------- | ----------------------------------------- | ---------------------------- |
| **`_bmad` folder** | How BMad works—agents, workflows, prompts | "What does the PM agent do?" |
| **Full GitHub repo** | History, installer, architecture | "What changed in v6?" |
| **`llms-full.txt`** | Quick overview from docs | "Explain BMad's four phases" |

The `_bmad` folder is created when you install BMad. If you don't have it yet, clone the repo instead.

### 2. Point Your AI at the Source

**If your AI can read files (Claude Code, Cursor, etc.):**

- **BMad installed:** Point at the `_bmad` folder and ask directly
- **Want deeper context:** Clone the [full repo](https://github.com/bmad-code-org/BMAD-METHOD)

**If you use ChatGPT or Claude.ai:**

Fetch `llms-full.txt` into your session:
:::tip
You can also use `/bmad-help` or `$bmad-help` depending on your platform, but just `bmad-help` should work everywhere.
:::

```text
https://bmad-code-org.github.io/BMAD-METHOD/llms-full.txt
```
## 2. Go Deeper with Source

BMad-Help draws on your installed configuration. For questions about BMad's internals, history, or architecture — or if you're researching BMad before installing — point your AI at the source directly.

### 3. Ask Your Question
Clone or open the [BMAD-METHOD repo](https://github.com/bmad-code-org/BMAD-METHOD) and ask your AI about it. Any agent-capable tool (Claude Code, Cursor, Windsurf, etc.) can read the source and answer questions directly.

:::note[Example]
**Q:** "Tell me the fastest way to build something with BMad"

**A:** Use Quick Flow: Run `bmad-quick-dev` — it clarifies your intent, plans, implements, reviews, and presents results in a single workflow, skipping the full planning phases.
:::

## What You Get
**Tips for better answers:**

Direct answers about BMad—how agents work, what workflows do, why things are structured the way they are—without waiting for someone else to respond.
- **Be specific** — "What does step 3 of the PRD workflow do?" beats "How does PRD work?"
- **Verify surprising claims** — LLMs occasionally get things wrong. Check the source file or ask on Discord.

## Tips
### Not using an agent? Use the docs site

- **Verify surprising answers** — LLMs occasionally get things wrong. Check the source file or ask on Discord.
- **Be specific** — "What does step 3 of the PRD workflow do?" beats "How does PRD work?"
If your AI can't read local files (ChatGPT, Claude.ai, etc.), fetch [llms-full.txt](https://bmad-code-org.github.io/BMAD-METHOD/llms-full.txt) into your session — it's a single-file snapshot of the BMad documentation.

## Still Stuck?
## 3. Ask Someone

Tried the LLM approach and still need help? You now have a much better question to ask.
If neither BMad-Help nor the source answered your question, you now have a much better question to ask.

| Channel | Use For |
| ------------------------- | ------------------------------------------- |
| `#bmad-method-help` | Quick questions (real-time chat) |
| `help-requests` forum | Detailed questions (searchable, persistent) |
| `help-requests` forum | Questions |
| `#suggestions-feedback` | Ideas and feature requests |
| `#report-bugs-and-issues` | Bug reports |

**Discord:** [discord.gg/gk8jAdXWmj](https://discord.gg/gk8jAdXWmj)

**GitHub Issues:** [github.com/bmad-code-org/BMAD-METHOD/issues](https://github.com/bmad-code-org/BMAD-METHOD/issues) (for clear bugs)

**GitHub Issues:** [github.com/bmad-code-org/BMAD-METHOD/issues](https://github.com/bmad-code-org/BMAD-METHOD/issues)
*You!*
*Stuck*
*in the queue—*
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