What does agile software development mean?

Agile software development refers to a set of principles and practices for software development that prioritize flexibility, collaboration, and customer satisfaction. The Agile approach emphasizes iterative development, adaptability to changing requirements, and the delivery of small, functional increments of a software product.

Key principles of agile software development include:

1. Individuals and Interactions over Processes and Tools: Agile prioritizes communication and collaboration among team members, valuing interactions more than rigid processes and tools.

2. Working Software over Comprehensive Documentation: While documentation is important, the primary focus is on delivering a working product. Agile teams value executable code as the most meaningful measure of progress.

3. Customer Collaboration over Contract Negotiation: Agile encourages ongoing collaboration with customers or stakeholders to understand their needs and incorporate feedback throughout the development process.

4. Responding to Change over Following a Plan: Agile embraces change and prioritizes the ability to respond to evolving requirements. It acknowledges that plans may need to be adjusted as the project progresses.

To implement these principles, agile methodologies often involve iterative and incremental development cycles, with the most common being Scrum, Kanban, and Extreme Programming (XP). These methodologies provide specific frameworks and practices to help teams organize their work, prioritize tasks, and deliver software in a flexible and adaptive manner.

In summary, agile software development is a mindset and set of practices that prioritize collaboration, adaptability, and customer satisfaction to deliver high-quality software in a more flexible and responsive manner compared to traditional, plan-driven approaches.