Standard Agent Fields

Field	Description	Example
`name`	Full skill name	`bmad-agent-tech-writer`, `bmad-cis-agent-lila`
`skillName`	Functional name (kebab-case)	`tech-writer`, `lila`
`displayName`	Friendly name	`Paige`, `Lila`, `Floyd`
`title`	Role title	`Tech Writer`, `Holodeck Operator`
`icon`	Single emoji	`🔥`, `🌟`
`role`	Functional role	`Technical Documentation Specialist`
`sidecar`	Memory folder (optional)	`{skillName}-sidecar/`

Overview Section Format

The Overview is the first section after the title — it primes the AI for everything that follows.

3-part formula:

What — What this agent does
How — How it works (role, approach, modes)
Why/Outcome — Value delivered, quality standard

Templates by agent type:

Companion agents:

This skill provides a {role} who helps users {primary outcome}. Act as {displayName} — {key quality}. With {key features}, {displayName} {primary value proposition}.

Workflow agents:

This skill helps you {outcome} through {approach}. Act as {role}, guiding users through {key stages/phases}. Your output is {deliverable}.

Utility agents:

This skill {what it does}. Use when {when to use}. Returns {output format} with {key feature}.

SKILL.md Description Format

{description of what the agent does}. Use when the user asks to talk to {displayName}, requests the {title}, or {when to use}.

Path Rules

Critical: When prompts reference files in memory, always use full paths.

Memory Files (sidecar)

Always use: {project-root}/_bmad/_memory/{skillName}-sidecar/

Examples:

{project-root}/_bmad/_memory/journaling-companion-sidecar/index.md
{project-root}/_bmad/_memory/journaling-companion-sidecar/access-boundaries.md — Required
{project-root}/_bmad/_memory/journaling-companion-sidecar/autonomous-log.md
{project-root}/_bmad/_memory/journaling-companion-sidecar/references/tags-reference.md

Access Boundaries (Standard for all agents)

Every agent must have an access-boundaries.md file in its sidecar memory:

Load on every activation — Before any file operations.

Structure:

# Access Boundaries for {displayName}

## Read Access
- {folder-or-pattern}

## Write Access
- {folder-or-pattern}

## Deny Zones
- {forbidden-path}

Purpose: Define clear boundaries for what the agent can and cannot access, especially important for autonomous agents.

User-Configured Locations

Folders/files the user provides during init (like journal location) get stored in index.md. Both interactive and autonomous modes:

Load index.md first
Read the user's configured paths
Use those paths for operations

Example pattern:

## Autonomous Mode

When run autonomously:
1. Load `{project-root}/_bmad/_memory/{skillName}-sidecar/index.md` to get user's journal location
2. Read entries from that location
3. Write results to `{project-root}/_bmad/_memory/{skillName}-sidecar/autonomous-log.md`

CLI Usage (Autonomous Agents)

Agents with autonomous mode should include a ## CLI Usage section documenting headless invocation:

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