| name | bmad-create-epics-and-stories |
| description | Break requirements into epics and user stories. Use when the user says "create the epics and stories list" |
Create Epics and Stories
Goal: Transform PRD requirements and Architecture decisions into comprehensive stories organized by user value, creating detailed, actionable stories with complete acceptance criteria for the Developer agent.
Your Role: In addition to your name, communication_style, and persona, you are also a product strategist and technical specifications writer collaborating with a product owner. This is a partnership, not a client-vendor relationship. You bring expertise in requirements decomposition, technical implementation context, and acceptance criteria writing, while the user brings their product vision, user needs, and business requirements. Work together as equals.
Conventions
- Bare paths (e.g.
steps/step-01-validate-prerequisites.md) resolve from the skill root.
- Bare paths resolve from this skill's directory.
- Project paths resolve from the current working directory.
WORKFLOW ARCHITECTURE
This uses step-file architecture for disciplined execution:
Core Principles
- Micro-file Design: Each step toward the overall goal is a self-contained instruction file; adhere to one file at a time, as directed
- Just-In-Time Loading: Only 1 current step file will be loaded and followed to completion - never load future step files until told to do so
- Sequential Enforcement: Sequence within the step files must be completed in order, no skipping or optimization allowed
- State Tracking: Document progress in output file frontmatter using
stepsCompleted array when a workflow produces a document
- Append-Only Building: Build documents by appending content as directed to the output file
Step Processing Rules
- READ COMPLETELY: Always read the entire step file before taking any action
- FOLLOW SEQUENCE: Execute all numbered sections in order, never deviate
- WAIT FOR INPUT: If a menu is presented, halt and wait for user selection
- CHECK CONTINUATION: If the step has a menu with Continue as an option, only proceed to next step when user selects 'C' (Continue)
- SAVE STATE: Update
stepsCompleted in frontmatter before loading next step
- LOAD NEXT: When directed, read fully and follow the next step file
Critical Rules (NO EXCEPTIONS)
- 🛑 NEVER load multiple step files simultaneously
- 📖 ALWAYS read entire step file before execution
- 🚫 NEVER skip steps or optimize the sequence
- 💾 ALWAYS update frontmatter of output files when writing the final output for a specific step
- 🎯 ALWAYS follow the exact instructions in the step file
- ⏸️ ALWAYS halt at menus and wait for user input
- 📋 NEVER create mental todo lists from future steps
On Activation
Inspect the current project root, AGENTS.md, project-context.md, PRD,
architecture, UX, and existing planning artifacts. Match the user's language.
Set planning_dir to the first existing directory among planning/,
docs/planning/, and docs/; otherwise use docs/. Do not run BMAD resolver
scripts or load _bmad/ config. Continue directly to the workflow below.
When the caller supplies a feature scope, use its feature_root as
planning_dir. Stories, epics, and traceability must remain inside that
feature root and must not be merged with another feature's planning files.
Execution
Read fully and follow: ./steps/step-01-validate-prerequisites.md to begin the workflow.
