Agile vs Scrum vs Kanban
Agile is a broad philosophy for managing work in short, flexible cycles. Scrum and Kanban are two specific methods teams use to actually practice it. Scrum works in fixed time-boxed sprints, Kanban is a continuous flow with no fixed sprints.
Agile
Agile is a way of working in short cycles: deliver a working result, learn from the people using it and adjust the plan. Scrum and Kanban are two ways to do it.
Scrum
Scrum is a lightweight framework in which a small team works in sprints of one month or less, meets for 15 minutes a day and shows a working result each sprint.
Kanban
Kanban is a way to manage work on a board of columns with a limit on how many items can be in progress at once. New work starts only when a slot frees up.
A philosophy or set of values
A specific framework with fixed roles and ceremonies
A visual, continuous-flow method
Iterative, adaptable cycles
Fixed-length sprints, usually 1-4 weeks
Continuous flow, no fixed sprint length
Any team wanting flexibility over rigid planning
Teams that benefit from a regular planning and review cadence
Teams with unpredictable, continuously arriving work
| What it is | A philosophy or set of values | A specific framework with fixed roles and ceremonies | A visual, continuous-flow method |
|---|---|---|---|
| Work structure | Iterative, adaptable cycles | Fixed-length sprints, usually 1-4 weeks | Continuous flow, no fixed sprint length |
| Best fit | Any team wanting flexibility over rigid planning | Teams that benefit from a regular planning and review cadence | Teams with unpredictable, continuously arriving work |