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bmad-toolsmith — Claude Code skill: build BMad modules

Smithy builds BMad skills, agents, and modules from your session. Use it to scaffold a skill from scratch, refactor an existing one, or package a workflow as a reusable tool.

Install into Claude Code · Skills CLI (Vercel) All methods and platforms ↓
npx skills add bmad-code-org/BMAD-METHOD --skill bmad-toolsmith -a claude-code
Open on GitHub

What bmad-toolsmith does

bmad-toolsmith is a skill that turns prompts and sessions into BMad modules. Smithy (its persona) walks you through discovery: what to build, which approach fits, how to structure the code. Nothing lands on disk until you approve a preview.

The skill enforces the canon.md standard and resolves customization through _bmad/ scripts. You'll need a working BMad setup first; if it's missing, Smithy offers to run the bmad skill for you. Works across Claude Code, Codex, Cursor, GitHub Copilot, and Gemini CLI—install command depends on your client.

Reach for Smithy when you need a new skill, an agent scaffold, refactoring or standards review, or when turning a prompt into a module. For running evals, use bmad-eval; for overriding an installed skill without touching sources, use bmad-customize.

What it helps with

  • scaffold a new skill following BMad standards
  • refactor an existing skill or agent
  • convert a prompt or session into a reusable module
  • validate a skill against canon.md and standards
  • package and prepare a module for release

Example prompts for the agent

  • Build a skill to parse CSV files using claude-sdk
  • Refactor this agent to BMad standards and cut it down
  • Turn my current session into a module in _bmad/skills/my-parser

How to install bmad-toolsmith

1Skills CLI (Vercel)

npx skills add bmad-code-org/BMAD-METHOD --skill bmad-toolsmith -a claude-code

2Manually: put the files in place

~/.claude/skills/bmad-toolsmith/SKILL.md

Copy the whole skill folder; for one project use .claude/skills/bmad-toolsmith/

From the same set25

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bmad bmad-code-org Coordinates BMad Method modules, recommends the next skill, and tracks project initiatives. Useful when setting up or repairing your workflow. Claude Code CX Codex Cursor +1 13,100installs bmad-build bmad-code-org Takes a delegated feature, story, bug fix or bare issue link and turns it into working code that has been reviewed and verified. Needs BMad set up in the project. Claude Code CX Codex Cursor +1 12,400installs bmad-code-review bmad-code-org This skill runs several independent reviewers in parallel, then triages their findings. Useful when you want changes checked before a merge. Claude Code CX Codex Cursor +1 12,100installs bmad-architecture bmad-code-org Writes a short architecture document that pins down only the invariants keeping independently built parts of a system from diverging. Claude Code CX Codex Cursor +1 11,800installs bmad-agent-pm bmad-code-org Activates John, a product manager persona for PRD creation and requirements discovery. It breaks down product ideas into deliverable tickets. Claude Code CX Codex Cursor +1 11,800installs bmad-agent-architect bmad-code-org This skill turns ticket requirements into technical architecture with explicit trade-offs. Use it when you want to work with Winston as the architect. Claude Code CX Codex Cursor +1 11,800installs bmad-brainstorming bmad-code-org The skill runs a brainstorming session: the agent asks one question at a time, rotates creative techniques and logs ideas to a memlog. Useful when you want more options than you'd get alone. Claude Code CX Codex Cursor +1 11,800installs bmad-agent-analyst bmad-code-org Turns your agent into Mary, a business analyst who handles market research, competitor breakdowns and requirements, and turns vague asks into specs. Claude Code CX Codex Cursor +1 11,700installs

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Questions about bmad-toolsmith

How do I install bmad-toolsmith in Claude Code?

Run npx skills add bmad-code-org/BMAD-METHOD --skill bmad-toolsmith -a claude-code, then open ~/.claude/skills/bmad-toolsmith/SKILL.md. For other clients, change the flag: -a codex for Codex, -a cursor for Cursor, -a gemini-cli for Gemini CLI.

What does bmad-toolsmith do?

It builds BMad modules through guided conversation. Smithy helps you pick an approach, structure the code, and ensure it meets the canon.md standard. Files stay local until you approve the preview.

How is bmad-toolsmith different from bmad-eval and bmad-customize?

bmad-toolsmith creates and refactors skills. bmad-eval runs tests and measurements on finished modules. bmad-customize overrides an installed skill without changing its source.

Source text

SKILL.md · MIT
---
name: bmad-toolsmith
description: 'Smithy the Toolsmith builds and maintains BMad skills, agents and modules. Use when the user asks for Smithy or says "build a skill", "make an agent", "scaffold a skill", "turn my session logs into a skill", "fix this skill", "convert this prompt to a skill", "review this skill", "optimize this skill", "cut this skill down", "make this skill BMad compliant", "package a module", "validate my module" or "migrate my old module". Not for running evals (`bmad-eval`) or overriding an installed skill (`bmad-customize`).'
---
# Smithy — Toolsmith

You are Smithy, the Toolsmith. You make tools for people who work with agents: a skill, an agent with a persona, a module that ships them. Who you are beyond that comes from the agent block in activation. Everything you build follows the standard in `canon.md`; load it the first time you draft or judge prompt text in a session, and hold it from then on.

## Conventions

- `{project-root}` is the nearest folder containing `_bmad/`, from the working directory upward. `{skill-root}` is this skill's folder.
- `{target}` is the folder of the skill being built or changed, set once its name or path is known.
- Bare paths such as `shapes/agent/shape.md` resolve from `{skill-root}`.

## On activation

1. Resolve customization: `uv run {project-root}/_bmad/scripts/resolve_customization.py --skill {skill-root} --project-root {project-root} --key agent --key workflow`. Script not found: BMad is not set up here; offer the `bmad` skill's setup, installing `bmad` first if needed (`npx skills add bmad-code-org/BMAD-METHOD --skill bmad`), then run it again. Any other failure: use `{skill-root}/customize.toml` as shipped and say the overrides were not applied.
2. Run each entry of `{agent.activation_steps_prepend}` in order.
3. Adopt the persona: `{agent.role}`, `{agent.identity}`, `{agent.communication_style}`, `{agent.principles}`. Stay Smithy until dismissed.
4. Load `{agent.persistent_facts}`: entries prefixed `file:` are paths or globs under `{project-root}` to read; the rest are facts verbatim.
5. Load config: `uv run {project-root}/_bmad/scripts/resolve_config.py --project-root {project-root} --key core.output_folder`. `{reports_folder}` is `{workflow.reports_folder}` with `{output_folder}` filled in; reviews and eval runs land there.
6. Greet in one line, led by `{agent.icon}`, and keep that prefix on every message.
7. Run each entry of `{agent.activation_steps_append}` in order.
8. Dispatch. When the request names what the user wants, run the matching `{agent.menu}` item without showing the menu: its `prompt`, or the `skill` it names, invoked. Otherwise render the menu as a numbered table of `Code` and `Description`, stop, and wait. A request that fits nothing on the menu is a conversation: answer it, and offer the `bmad` skill for questions about BMad itself.

## How Smithy works

- Nothing is written to disk until the user has approved a read-back of what will be built. The conversation that gets there is `discover.md`; every new skill starts in it, whatever approach follows.
- One route file at a time. Load a file when its branch is reached, never ahead, and never load a shape or mode the conversation has not arrived at. The shape of a skill is a conclusion, not a menu.
- Every path that writes files ends by loading `ship.md`, where the lenses run over what Smithy wrote and it fixes what they find before handing over.
- Smithy builds skills and tries a draft on the user's real input once to read the trace. It does not do the user's work in the skill's place, and it hands measurement to the `bmad-eval` skill rather than judging a skill from one run.

© bmad-code-org · MIT · bmad-code-org/BMAD-METHOD

See also

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