mini-starter/_bmad/bmm/workflows/generate-project-context/steps/step-01-discover.md

Step 1: Context Discovery & Initialization

MANDATORY EXECUTION RULES (READ FIRST):

• 🛑 NEVER generate content without user input
• ✅ ALWAYS treat this as collaborative discovery between technical peers
• 📋 YOU ARE A FACILITATOR, not a content generator
• 💬 FOCUS on discovering existing project context and technology stack
• 🎯 IDENTIFY critical implementation rules that AI agents need
• ⚠️ ABSOLUTELY NO TIME ESTIMATES - AI development speed has fundamentally changed
• ✅ YOU MUST ALWAYS SPEAK OUTPUT In your Agent communication style with the config {communication_language}

EXECUTION PROTOCOLS:

• 🎯 Show your analysis before taking any action
• 📖 Read existing project files to understand current context
• 💾 Initialize document and update frontmatter
• 🚫 FORBIDDEN to load next step until discovery is complete

CONTEXT BOUNDARIES:

• Variables from workflow.md are available in memory
• Focus on existing project files and architecture decisions
• Look for patterns, conventions, and unique requirements
• Prioritize rules that prevent implementation mistakes

YOUR TASK:

Discover the project's technology stack, existing patterns, and critical implementation rules that AI agents must follow when writing code.

DISCOVERY SEQUENCE:

1. Check for Existing Project Context

First, check if project context already exists:

• Look for file at {project_knowledge}/project-context.md or {project-root}/**/project-context.md
• If exists: Read complete file to understand existing rules
• Present to user: "Found existing project context with {number_of_sections} sections. Would you like to update this or create a new one?"

2. Discover Project Technology Stack

Load and analyze project files to identify technologies:

Architecture Document:

• Look for {planning_artifacts}/architecture.md
• Extract technology choices with specific versions
• Note architectural decisions that affect implementation

Package Files:

• Check for package.json, requirements.txt, Cargo.toml, etc.
• Extract exact versions of all dependencies
• Note development vs production dependencies

Configuration Files:

• Look for project language specific configs ( example: tsconfig.json)
• Build tool configs (webpack, vite, next.config.js, etc.)
• Linting and formatting configs (.eslintrc, .prettierrc, etc.)
• Testing configurations (jest.config.js, vitest.config.ts, etc.)

3. Identify Existing Code Patterns

Search through existing codebase for patterns:

Naming Conventions:

• File naming patterns (PascalCase, kebab-case, etc.)
• Component/function naming conventions
• Variable naming patterns
• Test file naming patterns

Code Organization:

• How components are structured
• Where utilities and helpers are placed
• How services are organized
• Test organization patterns

Documentation Patterns:

• Comment styles and conventions
• Documentation requirements
• README and API doc patterns

4. Extract Critical Implementation Rules

Look for rules that AI agents might miss:

Language-Specific Rules:

• TypeScript strict mode requirements
• Import/export conventions
• Async/await vs Promise usage patterns
• Error handling patterns specific to the language

Framework-Specific Rules:

• React hooks usage patterns
• API route conventions
• Middleware usage patterns
• State management patterns

Testing Rules:

• Test structure requirements
• Mock usage conventions
• Integration vs unit test boundaries
• Coverage requirements

Development Workflow Rules:

• Branch naming conventions
• Commit message patterns
• PR review requirements
• Deployment procedures

5. Initialize Project Context Document

Based on discovery, create or update the context document:

A. Fresh Document Setup (if no existing context)

Copy template from {installed_path}/project-context-template.md to {output_folder}/project-context.md Initialize frontmatter fields.

B. Existing Document Update

Load existing context and prepare for updates Set frontmatter sections_completed to track what will be updated

6. Present Discovery Summary

Report findings to user:

"Welcome {{user_name}}! I've analyzed your project for {{project_name}} to discover the context that AI agents need.

Technology Stack Discovered: {{list_of_technologies_with_versions}}

Existing Patterns Found:

• {{number_of_patterns}} implementation patterns
• {{number_of_conventions}} coding conventions
• {{number_of_rules}} critical rules

Key Areas for Context Rules:

• {{area_1}} (e.g., TypeScript configuration)
• {{area_2}} (e.g., Testing patterns)
• {{area_3}} (e.g., Code organization)

{if_existing_context} Existing Context: Found {{sections}} sections already defined. We can update or add to these. {/if_existing_context}

Ready to create/update your project context. This will help AI agents implement code consistently with your project's standards.

[C] Continue to context generation"

SUCCESS METRICS:

✅ Existing project context properly detected and handled ✅ Technology stack accurately identified with versions ✅ Critical implementation patterns discovered ✅ Project context document properly initialized ✅ Discovery findings clearly presented to user ✅ User ready to proceed with context generation

FAILURE MODES:

❌ Not checking for existing project context before creating new one ❌ Missing critical technology versions or configurations ❌ Overlooking important coding patterns or conventions ❌ Not initializing frontmatter properly ❌ Not presenting clear discovery summary to user

NEXT STEP:

After user selects [C] to continue, load ./step-02-generate.md to collaboratively generate the specific project context rules.

Remember: Do NOT proceed to step-02 until user explicitly selects [C] from the menu and discovery is confirmed and the initial file has been written as directed in this discovery step!