preseed
Transform a rough idea into comprehensive foundational documents.
Synopsis#
bootspring preseed <command> [options]Description#
The preseed command initiates the foundational documentation workflow that transforms a rough product idea into structured documents. It generates vision documents, audience profiles, market analysis, business models, and product requirements through an interactive wizard.
Tier Information#
Some preseed commands require a Pro subscription:
| Command | Tier | Description |
|---|---|---|
setup, init, generate, sync, status, update, export | Free | Core preseed functionality |
start, merge | Pro | Smart workflows and document merging |
pull, push | Pro | Cloud sync with dashboard |
workflow | Pro | Document approval workflows |
Commands#
start [PRO]#
Smart entry point for preseed. This is the recommended first command.
bootspring preseed startAnalyzes your situation and guides you to the appropriate next step:
- If drop zone has files: Offers to analyze them
- If preseed initialized: Offers to resume workflow
- If authenticated: Offers to pull from dashboard
- Otherwise: Starts fresh with Q&A wizard
Example:
1bootspring preseed start
2
3# Output:
4# Welcome to Bootspring Preseed!
5#
6# Detected:
7# ✓ Drop zone has 5 files
8# ○ Preseed not initialized
9#
10# What would you like to do?
11# 1. Analyze your drop zone files
12# 2. Start from scratch (Q&A wizard)
13# 3. Pull from dashboardsetup#
Create the context folder structure including the drop zone.
bootspring preseed setupCreates:
.bootspring/preseed/context/
├── drop/ # Universal inbox - accepts anything
├── ideas/ # Rough ideas, brainstorms
├── research/ # Market research, reports
├── competitors/ # Competitor analysis
├── audience/ # User interviews, surveys
├── business/ # Business model notes
└── technical/ # Technical requirements
Example:
1bootspring preseed setup
2
3# Output:
4# Created context folders:
5# + .bootspring/preseed/context/drop/
6# + .bootspring/preseed/context/ideas/
7# + .bootspring/preseed/context/research/
8# + .bootspring/preseed/context/competitors/
9# + .bootspring/preseed/context/audience/
10# + .bootspring/preseed/context/business/
11# + .bootspring/preseed/context/technical/
12#
13# Drop your files in these folders, then run:
14# bootspring preseed startinit#
Start the preseed wizard to create foundational documents.
bootspring preseed init [options]Options:
| Option | Description |
|---|---|
--preset=<preset> | Document preset (see below) |
--quick | Quick mode with minimal questions |
Presets:
| Preset | Documents | Best For |
|---|---|---|
essential | 4 | Quick validation, internal projects |
startup | 7 | Standard startup (default) |
full | 8 | Comprehensive documentation |
technical | 4 | Developer tools, API products |
investor | 6 | Fundraising preparation |
Examples:
1# Full interactive wizard
2bootspring preseed init
3
4# Quick mode with minimal questions
5bootspring preseed init --quick
6
7# Investor-focused preset
8bootspring preseed init --preset=investor
9
10# Technical product preset
11bootspring preseed init --preset=technicalgenerate#
Regenerate documents from the configuration.
bootspring preseed generate [options]Options:
| Option | Description |
|---|---|
--doc=<type> | Generate a single document type |
Document Types:
| Type | File |
|---|---|
vision | VISION.md |
audience | AUDIENCE.md |
market | MARKET.md |
competitors | COMPETITORS.md |
business-model | BUSINESS_MODEL.md |
prd | PRD.md |
technical-spec | TECHNICAL_SPEC.md |
roadmap | ROADMAP.md |
Examples:
1# Regenerate all documents
2bootspring preseed generate
3
4# Regenerate only PRD
5bootspring preseed generate --doc=prd
6
7# Regenerate vision document
8bootspring preseed generate --doc=visionsync#
Synchronize documents with configuration changes.
bootspring preseed syncThis regenerates all documents from the current PRESEED_CONFIG.json. Use after editing the config file directly.
Example:
# Edit config, then sync
code .bootspring/preseed/PRESEED_CONFIG.json
bootspring preseed syncmerge [PRO]#
Merge multiple source files into unified documents.
bootspring preseed mergeWhen you have multiple versions of the same document type (e.g., from different AI assistants), the merge command combines them intelligently.
Features:
- Conservative merge strategy (preserves all unique content)
- Removes only exact duplicate paragraphs
- Generates changelog showing sources used
- Supports multiple source file naming conventions
Expected file structure:
.bootspring/preseed/context/
├── vision/
│ ├── VISION_ChatGPT.md
│ └── VISION_Claude.md
├── prd/
│ ├── PRD_ChatGPT.md
│ └── PRD_Claude.md
└── ...
Example:
1bootspring preseed merge
2
3# Output:
4# ✓ Merged 8 documents (8 merged, 0 copied)
5#
6# Created documents:
7# ⊕ VISION.md (merged 2 sources)
8# ⊕ AUDIENCE.md (merged 2 sources)
9# ⊕ MARKET.md (merged 2 sources)
10# ⊕ COMPETITORS.md (merged 2 sources)
11# ⊕ BUSINESS_MODEL.md (merged 2 sources)
12# ⊕ PRD.md (merged 2 sources)
13# ⊕ TECHNICAL_SPEC.md (merged 2 sources)
14# ⊕ ROADMAP.md (merged 2 sources)Synthesizing to SEED.md#
After preseed is complete, use the seed synthesize command (not preseed):
bootspring seed synthesizeThis reads your preseed markdown files from .bootspring/preseed/ and creates a unified SEED.md.
Note: The synthesize command reads .md files directly - it does NOT require PRESEED_CONFIG.json. If preseed status shows "Not initialized" but your merged documents exist, synthesize will still work.
Example:
1bootspring seed synthesize
2
3# Output:
4# ✓ Generated SEED.md from preseed documents
5#
6# Next steps:
7# bootspring seed scaffold --preset=nextjsstatus#
Show preseed initialization status.
bootspring preseed statusOutput:
⚡ Bootspring Preseed Status
Configuration: .bootspring/preseed/PRESEED_CONFIG.json
Preset: startup (7 documents)
Created: 2026-02-20T10:30:00Z
Last sync: 2026-02-20T10:45:00Z
Documents:
✓ VISION.md (1.2 KB, synced)
✓ AUDIENCE.md (2.4 KB, synced)
✓ MARKET.md (1.8 KB, synced)
✓ COMPETITORS.md (1.6 KB, synced)
✓ BUSINESS_MODEL.md (2.1 KB, synced)
✓ PRD.md (3.5 KB, synced)
✓ ROADMAP.md (1.4 KB, synced)
Config sections filled: 8/8 (100%)
update#
Update a specific value in the configuration.
bootspring preseed update <path> <value>Arguments:
| Argument | Description |
|---|---|
path | Dot-notation path to config value |
value | New value (JSON for objects/arrays) |
Common Paths:
| Path | Description |
|---|---|
identity.name | Project name |
identity.tagline | One-line tagline |
problem.statement | Problem statement |
problem.painPoints | Array of pain points |
solution.overview | Solution description |
solution.keyFeatures | Array of key features |
solution.uniqueValue | Unique value proposition |
audience.primary | Primary audience |
audience.personas | Array of personas |
audience.icp | Ideal customer profile |
market.tam | Total addressable market |
market.sam | Serviceable addressable market |
market.som | Serviceable obtainable market |
competitors.direct | Direct competitors |
competitors.positioning | Positioning statement |
business.model | Revenue model |
business.pricing | Pricing structure |
product.mvpFeatures | MVP feature list |
roadmap.phases | Development phases |
Examples:
1# Update simple value
2bootspring preseed update identity.name "TaskFlow Pro"
3
4# Update pricing
5bootspring preseed update business.pricing.pro 15
6
7# Update array
8bootspring preseed update solution.keyFeatures '["AI Priority", "Code Context", "Focus Mode"]'
9
10# Update object
11bootspring preseed update audience.icp '{"role": "Engineer", "companySize": "50-500"}'
12
13# Update nested value
14bootspring preseed update business.pricing.team.perUser trueexport#
Export the preseed configuration.
bootspring preseed export [options]Options:
| Option | Description |
|---|---|
--format=<fmt> | Output format: json (default) or yaml |
--output=<file> | Write to file instead of stdout |
Examples:
1# Export as JSON to stdout
2bootspring preseed export
3
4# Export as YAML
5bootspring preseed export --format=yaml
6
7# Export to file
8bootspring preseed export --output=preseed-backup.json
9
10# Export YAML to file
11bootspring preseed export --format=yaml --output=preseed.yamlworkflow [PRO]#
Document approval workflow commands.
bootspring preseed workflow <subcommand>| Subcommand | Description |
|---|---|
start | Begin guided document approval workflow |
resume | Continue from where you left off |
status | Show workflow progress |
reset | Reset workflow state |
Examples:
1# Start new workflow
2bootspring preseed workflow start
3
4# Check progress
5bootspring preseed workflow status
6
7# Output:
8# Overall Progress: [████████░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░] 25%
9# 2/8 documents approved
10#
11# Phases:
12# ✓ Foundation (2/2)
13# ✓ Vision
14# ✓ Audience
15#
16# ▶ Market Analysis (0/2) ← current
17# ◇ Market
18# ○ Competitors
19
20# Continue workflow
21bootspring preseed workflow resume
22
23# Start over
24bootspring preseed workflow resetdoc#
Manage individual documents within a workflow.
bootspring preseed doc <type> <action>Document Types:
| Type | File |
|---|---|
vision | VISION.md |
audience | AUDIENCE.md |
market | MARKET.md |
competitors | COMPETITORS.md |
business-model | BUSINESS_MODEL.md |
prd | PRD.md |
technical-spec | TECHNICAL_SPEC.md |
roadmap | ROADMAP.md |
Actions:
| Action | Description |
|---|---|
approve | Approve document and move to next |
reject | Reject with feedback for revision |
edit | Open in $EDITOR for manual editing |
view | Display document content |
review | Submit for review (calculates quality score) |
Examples:
1# Approve vision document
2bootspring preseed doc vision approve
3
4# Reject with feedback
5bootspring preseed doc prd reject "Missing user stories for payment flow"
6
7# Edit in your editor
8bootspring preseed doc market edit
9
10# View document
11bootspring preseed doc business-model view
12
13# Get quality score
14bootspring preseed doc vision review
15
16# Output:
17# Quality Analysis: VISION.md
18# Score: 85/100
19#
20# Strengths:
21# ✓ Clear problem statement
22# ✓ Specific solution defined
23#
24# Areas for improvement:
25# ⚠ Could add supporting datapull [PRO]#
Download preseed documents from the dashboard.
bootspring preseed pull [options]Options:
| Option | Description |
|---|---|
--project=<id> | Project ID (uses current if not specified) |
--doc=<name> | Pull single document (VISION, PRD, etc.) |
--force | Overwrite without prompting |
Examples:
1# Pull all documents
2bootspring preseed pull
3
4# Pull specific document
5bootspring preseed pull --doc=VISION
6
7# Pull from specific project
8bootspring preseed pull --project=abc123
9
10# Force overwrite
11bootspring preseed pull --forcepush [PRO]#
Upload preseed documents to the dashboard.
bootspring preseed push [options]Options:
| Option | Description |
|---|---|
--project=<id> | Project ID |
--doc=<name> | Push single document |
Examples:
1# Push all documents
2bootspring preseed push
3
4# Push single document
5bootspring preseed push --doc=PRD
6
7# Push to specific project
8bootspring preseed push --project=abc123File Structure#
After running preseed setup and preseed init:
.bootspring/
└── preseed/
├── PRESEED_CONFIG.json # Source of truth (editable)
├── VISION.md # Problem/solution foundation
├── AUDIENCE.md # Target audience and personas
├── MARKET.md # Market sizing (TAM/SAM/SOM)
├── COMPETITORS.md # Competitive landscape
├── BUSINESS_MODEL.md # Revenue model and pricing
├── PRD.md # Product requirements
├── TECHNICAL_SPEC.md # Architecture decisions
├── ROADMAP.md # Development timeline
├── context/ # Input context folders
│ ├── drop/ # Universal inbox - drop anything here
│ ├── vision/ # Vision docs → VISION.md
│ ├── audience/ # Personas, interviews → AUDIENCE.md
│ ├── market/ # Market research → MARKET.md
│ ├── competitors/ # Competitor analysis → COMPETITORS.md
│ ├── business/ # Business model notes → BUSINESS_MODEL.md
│ ├── prd/ # Product requirements → PRD.md
│ ├── technical/ # Tech specs → TECHNICAL_SPEC.md
│ ├── roadmap/ # Timeline docs → ROADMAP.md
│ ├── ideas/ # Rough ideas, brainstorms
│ └── research/ # General research materials
└── prompts/ # Generated AI prompts (free tier)
Note: Each document-specific folder (vision/, audience/, etc.) can contain multiple source files with different suffixes (e.g., VISION_ChatGPT.md, VISION_Claude.md). Use preseed merge to combine them.
Configuration Schema#
The PRESEED_CONFIG.json follows this structure:
1{
2 "_meta": {
3 "version": "1.0.0",
4 "created": "2026-02-20T10:30:00Z",
5 "updated": "2026-02-20T10:45:00Z",
6 "preset": "startup"
7 },
8 "identity": {
9 "name": "Project Name",
10 "tagline": "One-line tagline",
11 "description": "Brief description",
12 "category": "saas"
13 },
14 "problem": {
15 "statement": "Problem description",
16 "painPoints": ["Point 1", "Point 2"],
17 "currentSolutions": [],
18 "whyNow": "Timing justification"
19 },
20 "solution": {
21 "overview": "Solution description",
22 "keyFeatures": ["Feature 1", "Feature 2"],
23 "uniqueValue": "Differentiation"
24 },
25 "audience": {
26 "primary": "Primary audience",
27 "segments": [],
28 "personas": [],
29 "icp": {}
30 },
31 "market": {
32 "tam": "$1B+",
33 "sam": "$100M+",
34 "som": "$10M+",
35 "trends": [],
36 "growth": ""
37 },
38 "competitors": {
39 "direct": [],
40 "indirect": [],
41 "positioning": "",
42 "differentiation": []
43 },
44 "business": {
45 "model": "subscription",
46 "revenueStreams": [],
47 "pricing": {},
48 "unitEconomics": {}
49 },
50 "product": {
51 "vision": "",
52 "mvpFeatures": [],
53 "futureFeatures": [],
54 "userStories": []
55 },
56 "technical": {
57 "stack": {},
58 "architecture": "",
59 "integrations": [],
60 "constraints": []
61 },
62 "roadmap": {
63 "phases": [],
64 "milestones": [],
65 "timeline": ""
66 },
67 "_sync": {
68 "lastSync": null,
69 "changeLog": []
70 }
71}Preset Details#
Essential (4 documents)#
vision, audience, business-model, prd
Best for: Quick validation, internal tools, hackathon projects.
Startup (7 documents) - Default#
vision, audience, market, competitors, business-model, prd, roadmap
Best for: Standard startup documentation, pitch preparation.
Full (8 documents)#
vision, audience, market, competitors, business-model, prd, technical-spec, roadmap
Best for: Complex products, technical founders, comprehensive planning.
Technical (4 documents)#
vision, prd, technical-spec, roadmap
Best for: Developer tools, APIs, open source projects.
Investor (6 documents)#
vision, audience, market, competitors, business-model, roadmap
Best for: Fundraising preparation, pitch deck support.
Integration with Seed#
Preseed flows into the Seed workflow:
1# Complete preseed
2bootspring preseed init
3
4# Seed imports preseed data
5bootspring seed init
6# Will ask: "Use preseed data? (Y/n)"
7
8# Seed commands use preseed
9bootspring seed scaffold
10# Uses PRD from preseed for feature generationExamples#
Complete Workflow (End-to-End)#
1# 1. Setup context folders
2bootspring preseed setup
3
4# 2. Drop your files into context folders
5# Place VISION_ChatGPT.md, VISION_Claude.md in context/vision/
6# Place PRD_ChatGPT.md, PRD_Claude.md in context/prd/
7# etc.
8
9# 3. Start preseed (select "Build from existing materials")
10bootspring preseed start
11
12# 4. Merge multiple source files
13bootspring preseed merge
14
15# 5. Review merged documents
16ls .bootspring/preseed/*.md
17cat .bootspring/preseed/VISION.md
18
19# 6. Synthesize to SEED.md (use seed command, not preseed)
20bootspring seed synthesize
21
22# 7. Scaffold the project
23bootspring seed scaffold --preset=nextjsNote: After merge, preseed status may show "Not initialized" because there's no PRESEED_CONFIG.json. This is expected - the merged documents work directly with seed synthesize.
Q&A Wizard Workflow#
1# 1. Initialize preseed with wizard
2bootspring preseed init --preset=startup
3
4# 2. Check status
5bootspring preseed status
6
7# 3. Review generated documents
8cat .bootspring/preseed/VISION.md
9
10# 4. Update values based on review
11bootspring preseed update identity.tagline "New tagline"
12bootspring preseed update business.pricing.pro 15
13
14# 5. Regenerate documents
15bootspring preseed sync
16
17# 6. Export for backup
18bootspring preseed export --output=preseed-backup.json
19
20# 7. Move to seed phase
21bootspring seed initQuick Start#
# Fast preseed for quick validation
bootspring preseed init --quick
# Generates minimal but functional preseed
bootspring preseed statusInvestor Preparation#
# Investor-focused documentation
bootspring preseed init --preset=investor
# Export for sharing
bootspring preseed export --format=yaml --output=investor-docs.yamlRelated Commands#
bootspring seed- Build from preseedbootspring mvp- Generate MVP codebootspring prd- Manage PRD
Related Workflows#
- Preseed Workflow - Complete workflow guide
- Seed Workflow - Next phase after preseed
- Business Model - Deep dive on business model