Installing the BMAD Framework

🎥 Video lesson — video not yet migrated (source Skool video id: e5542d562a9c49d6a245f993b9d1e877).

Installing the BMAD Framework — Setting Up Your Development Workflow

This video picks up right where the installation video left off. We've got Claude Code running in the terminal, and now we're installing the BMAD framework — the system that turns your empty repo into a properly structured development environment with built-in agents, documentation, and workflows.

What is BMAD? Think of it as an enterprise-grade software development process that guides you through building things properly using natural language. Instead of jumping straight into code and ending up with a mess, BMAD walks you through planning, architecture, and documentation first. It takes a bit longer upfront but saves you from "spaghetti code" as your project scales.

Installation steps:

  1. Copy the one-line install command from the BMAD docs
  2. Open a new terminal in Cursor (keep your Claude Code terminal separate)
  3. Run through the setup prompts — install the Core Module, Creative Tools, and Custom Agents modules (skip Game Dev Studio unless you're building games)
  4. Select Claude Code as your target (not Cursor chat)
  5. Run Express Setup and let it build the folder structure

What gets created:

  • .claude/commands/ — 30+ slash commands you can trigger in Claude Code (e.g. /create-agent, /dev, /qa)
  • bmad/ — the core framework with agents, workflows, and templates
  • docs/ — where your project documentation will live
  • bmad-output/ — where generated docs from the framework get stored

Key concepts covered:

  • Slash commands inject specific prompts that point Claude to the right files and context
  • Agents replicate real dev team roles (Developer, QA, Project Manager, Scrum Master, etc.)
  • The framework organises your files so Claude only loads the context it needs per conversation, keeping things efficient and reducing hallucinations

Cursor tips mentioned:

  • Cmd + J — toggle the terminal
  • Cmd + B — toggle the sidebar
  • You can drag terminals side by side to run multiple Claude Code conversations at once

Note: If you trigger a slash command and nothing shows up, restart Claude Code in the terminal — it needs to be launched after the BMAD folder is created to pick up the new commands.

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