How to Install BMad

Use npx bmad-method install to install BMad in a project, connect it to your AI coding tool, and update it later.

When to Use This

• Install BMad in a new or existing project.
• Connect BMad skills to a supported AI coding tool.
• Update an existing BMad installation.
• Add or remove modules, change tools, or reconfigure an installation.

Prerequisites

• Node.js 20.12 or later is required to run the installer.
• A supported AI coding tool is required to use the installed skills. The installer can show the current list with npx bmad-method install --list-tools.
• uv is required by skills that render or run Python through uv, including bmad-build and bmad-build-auto. If uv is missing, the installer warns you but still completes the installation.
• Git is required only when you install external modules or custom modules from Git.

Install and verify BMad

1. Open the target project

In a terminal, go to the project where you want to install BMad. The installer uses the current directory unless you choose a different destination.

2. Run the installer

npx bmad-method install

Follow the prompts. The choices can change as modules and tool integrations change, but the installer guides you through the available modules, configuration, and supported AI coding tools.

If the installer reports an error or warning, follow the action it gives you. A missing-uv warning does not stop the installation, but skills that require uv will not work until you install it.

3. Check the success summary

When the installation finishes, the installer displays BMAD is ready to use! and the path where it installed BMad. It also reports any warnings that still need attention.

4. Verify the tool integration

Open your selected AI coding tool from the project directory and invoke the bmad-help skill. Ask it what to do next. If the tool recognizes and runs the skill, the integration is ready.

Update or reconfigure BMad

1. Rerun the installer

From the project that contains the _bmad directory, run:

npx bmad-method install

2. Choose the detected path

The installer detects the existing installation and offers the update or modification paths that apply to it. Choose an update to refresh the existing setup, or choose modification when you need to change modules, tools, or configuration. Follow any additional prompts the installer displays.

3. Verify the updated integration

Review the success summary, reopen your AI coding tool if needed, and invoke bmad-help again.

Install the prerelease

To install prerelease core and BMM and apply prerelease selection to external modules chosen in that run, use:

npx bmad-method@next install

To update a prerelease installation, rerun the same command. Prerelease builds change more frequently and can include unfinished changes, so use the stable command for ordinary project work.

Headless CI installs

For a typical fresh headless install of BMM configured for Claude Code, run:

npx bmad-method install --yes --modules bmm --tools claude-code

Use npx bmad-method install --help to see the current automation flags and npx bmad-method install --list-tools to find valid tool IDs. If your automation uses @next or an explicit package version, use that same tag or version when checking the help and running the installer.

What You Get

BMad’s skills are installed in the skill directories used by each AI tool you selected. The project’s _bmad directory contains shared configuration and supporting scripts used by those skills. When installation finishes, the installer reports the configured tools and any warnings that still need attention.