---
title: "How to Make Quick Fixes in Brownfield Projects"
description: How to make quick fixes and ad-hoc changes in brownfield projects
---


Not everything requires the full BMad method or even Quick Flow. For bug fixes, refactorings, or small targeted changes, you can work directly with the agent.

---

## When to Use This

- Bug fixes
- Small refactorings
- Targeted code improvements
- Learning about your codebase
- One-off changes that don't need planning

---

## Steps

### 1. Load an Agent

For quick fixes, you can use:

- **DEV agent** - For implementation-focused work
- **Quick Flow Solo Dev** - For slightly larger changes that still need a tech-spec

### 2. Describe the Change

Simply tell the agent what you need:

```
Fix the login validation bug that allows empty passwords
```

or

```
Refactor the UserService to use async/await instead of callbacks
```

### 3. Let the Agent Work

The agent will:

- Analyze the relevant code
- Propose a solution
- Implement the change
- Run tests (if available)

### 4. Review and Commit

Review the changes made and commit when satisfied.

---

## Learning Your Codebase

This approach is also excellent for exploring unfamiliar code:

```
Explain how the authentication system works in this codebase
```

```
Show me where error handling happens in the API layer
```

LLMs are excellent at interpreting and analyzing code—whether it was AI-generated or not. Use the agent to:

- Learn about your project
- Understand how things are built
- Explore unfamiliar parts of the codebase

---

## When to Upgrade to Formal Planning

Consider using Quick Flow or full BMad Method when:

- The change affects multiple files or systems
- You're unsure about the scope
- The fix keeps growing in complexity
- You need documentation for the change

---

## Related

- [Brownfield Development Guide](./index.md)
- [Add Feature to Existing Project](./add-feature-to-existing.md)
- [Quick Spec Flow](../../explanation/features/quick-flow.md)