What are the Types of Agile Methodologies?

In a world where rapid change is the norm, organizations must stay adaptable, efficient, and focused on delivering continuous value. This is exactly what Agile methodologies are designed to support. Built on principles of flexibility, collaboration, and customer satisfaction, Agile has revolutionized the way teams manage projects and develop products.  

However, Agile isn’t limited to a single framework. It encompasses a variety of approaches, each tailored to different team dynamics, project requirements, and business goals. Whether you're a project manager, developer, or product strategist, gaining a clear understanding of these diverse Agile methodologies (with Agile framework examples as well) is essential.  

Apart from the sections that follow, you can learn the various types of agile methodology by joining any of the Agile Management training courses on our platform in this blog. 

What are Agile Methodologies?

There are more than a dozen agile techniques that are in use. Scrum, Extreme Programming (XP), lean product development, Kanban, Feature-Driven Development (FDD), Dynamic Systems Development Method (DSDM), and the Crystal family of methodologies are the most popular approaches. We'll go into detail about each of these types of Agile methodologies in the discussion. Understanding the types of Agile methodologies is crucial when comparing scaled frameworks like SAFe Agilist vs SAFe Practitioner, as each draws from foundational Agile principles. 

Scrum and XP are the two most popular agile methodologies. The core concepts, people, activities, and deliverables of these two strategies will be thoroughly covered. To learn more in detail, please go through the various agile courses listed in the KnowledgeHut Agile Management training.

Core Values of Agile Manifesto 

At the core of all Agile frameworks is the Agile Manifesto—a foundational set of principles introduced in 2001 by 17 thought leaders in software development. Instead of laying out fixed procedures, the Manifesto highlights four fundamental values that promote adaptability, teamwork, and the consistent delivery of customer-centric outcomes. These principles continue to influence how modern teams manage projects, build products, and drive innovation. 

Individuals and Interactions over Processes and Tools 

Agile puts people first. While systems and tools are useful, it’s the meaningful collaboration and creative problem-solving between team members that lead to success. 

Working Software over Comprehensive Documentation 

Agile favors delivering working solutions quickly over spending excessive time on documentation. This early delivery model allows teams to receive feedback and refine their work incrementally. 

Customer Collaboration over Contract Negotiation 

Maintaining open communication with customers is central to Agile. Instead of relying solely on formal agreements, Agile promotes active involvement to ensure the product evolves with the user’s needs. 

Responding to Change over Following a Plan 

In fast-changing environments, sticking rigidly to a plan can be counterproductive. Agile supports adjusting course based on new insights, allowing teams to remain aligned with business goals. 

These core values don’t reject structure—they support a more adaptive and human-centered approach. Embracing them empowers teams to build trust, innovate continuously, and stay relevant in a rapidly shifting landscape. 

Types of Agile Methodology: Important Categories

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1. Scrum

Scrum is a well-known agile framework that is simple to learn and lightweight, but like all agile techniques, it is challenging to master completely. The "Scrum framework" contains a collection of processes, roles, events, artifacts, and rules that are intended to direct the team as they carry out the project. 

Scrum Pillars and Values 

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In addition to the three pillars, Scrum also recognizes five fundamental values:

The major concepts and elements of the scrum are discussed in this section, as well as the responsibilities of a scrum team, the activities that take place during a sprint, and the sprint deliverables or artifacts.  

I. Scrum Team Roles

Developers, product owners, and scrum masters make up multidisciplinary scrum teams.

• Developers: team of self-organizing experts who construct the product increments during each sprint.
• Product Owner: oversees managing the product backlog, or the list of tasks that need to be completed, to maximize the value of the product. 
• Scrum Master: the facilitator of the scrum process acting as a servant leader and protector of the team and scrum values.

II. Scrum Events

Five "events," or meetings targeted at a particular goal, are defined under the Scrum framework, these are:

Sprints: A sprint is an iteration that is time-boxed that lasts typically one to two weeks, during which the team creates a viable product for release.

Backlog Refinement: "Grooming the backlog" takes place at the backlog refinement meetings. This indicates that all project participants meet to go over and revise the backlog terms to meet readiness of backlog items. 

Sprint Planning: Everyone attends the sprint planning meeting to decide what will be delivered during the forthcoming sprint and how that work will be accomplished.

Daily Scrum: A 15-minute time-boxed meeting, held at the same time and location every day, with the purpose of getting a succinct response to three questions about the sprint goal.

• What has one accomplished since the previous daily scrum? 
• What are your plans for the day?
• Are there any obstacles in my way? 

Sprint Review: Held towards the end of the sprint along with other potential stakeholders, the team gives a demo of the increment product they developed during the sprint.

Sprint Retrospective: The development team holds the sprint retrospective, which is the final "inspect and adapt" activity for the sprint, to reflect on their experiences and seek areas where they may do better.

III. Scrum Artifacts

We'll talk about the Scrum artifacts now that we've covered the Scrum roles and activities. These are:

Product Increment: is the mutually agreed definition of done between the team and PO to have a common understanding of how the increment can be marked complete and acceptable.

Product Backlog: is the prioritized list of all work to be done to build the product and accomplish project objectives.

Sprint Backlog: is the portion of the product backlog that has been chosen as the objective of a particular sprint.   

Anyone who would like to understand the practical concept of Scrum can join KnowledgeHut agile management training courses.

2. Extreme Programming (XP)

Extreme Programming, sometimes known as "XP" or "eXtreme Programming," is an agile approach that is concentrated on software development.

XP Core Values: Core values of XP include communication, simplicity, feedback, courage, and respect that help imbibe agility in teams and organization.

XP Team Roles: In contrast to Scrum, XP specifies the team roles as coach, customer, and tester. Let's examine the contributions that each of these jobs makes to an XP project.  

• Coach: The coach serves as the team's mentor, directing the process and assisting the members in staying on task and has many duties in common with a ScrumMaster.  
• Customer: The "customer" is the business core of the XP team. which might give the project's needs, priorities, and business direction, similar to the Scrum product owner.  
• Programmers: Are the developers who write and implement the programming for the requested user stories.  
• Testers: The customer can define and write acceptance tests for the user stories with the assistance of the testers or programmers, who also provide quality assurance.   

Planning Games: Release planning and iteration planning are the two main planning games used in XP. The customer specifies the functionality needed during planning, the team then estimates using these inclusive games, as to how challenging it will be to construct that functionality.

Small Releases: In XP, it is recommended to make frequent, short releases to a test environment, both at the iteration level to show progress and boost customer visibility and at the release level to quickly provide functional software to the end users.  

Customer Tests: The customer specifies one or more test criteria, and the team then creates automated tests to demonstrate to both the team and the client that the program satisfies user requirements.  

Collective Code Ownership: involves more individuals to work on all code adding expertise, removing errors, and introducing higher quality of delivery and cross-functional skill development.

Code Standards: involves adapting a consistent coding style and strategy to maintain uniformity and avoid changes due to varied coding patterns/practices. 

Sustainable Pace: The best degree of productivity is attained by a team working at a sustainable pace, not long tiring hours.

Metaphor: To describe designs and establish a common technical vision, Metaphor XP employs metaphors and similes - descriptions that help create comparisons that are clear to all parties involved and aid in illustrating how the system ought to operate.  

Continuous integration: XP uses continuous integration i.e. frequent chunks of tests which compile code and bring functions together to avoid building or adding code on incompatible code/patterns and discovering issues early.

Test-Driven Development: This crucial component of the XP technique involves authoring acceptance tests before creating the new code, which fail when the code has not been created and vice-versa, thereby, helping to reduce the test-feedback cycle as much as feasible.  

Refactoring: Refactoring involves enhancing the design of already-written code without changing how it functions externally or introducing new features. It is focused on reducing coupling, eliminating redundant code, and boosting cohesiveness.   

Simple Design: XPs can create code rapidly and modify it as needed by concentrating on maintaining a simple but adequate design. Simple design is also a risk-reduction tactic, as it has been shown that code bloat and complexity are associated with many unsuccessful initiatives.  

Pair Programming: In XP, two developers collaborate to write production code. The other developer reviews the code as it is developed while one developer develops it; their responsibilities regularly swap. Working in pairs also aids in transferring system expertise throughout the team.

3. Lean Product Development

Lean primarily a manufacturing strategy, was subsequently extended to software development, and many other types of knowledge work. Lean product development a branch of lean, focuses on creating new and improved goods, based on the below tenets:  

• Using visual management tools  
• Identifying customer-defined value  
• Building in learning and continuous improvement 

Lean Core Concepts - Lean focuses on seven core concepts, as given below: 

Eliminate waste: We must reduce waste if we are to maximize value. Waste can appear in knowledge work as incomplete work, delays, handoffs, superfluous features, etc. which need to be eliminated, if we want to maximize the value we derive from projects.

Empower the team: Rather than micromanaging, we should recognize the team members' greater understanding of the technical procedures necessary for the project and allow them to make local judgments to be effective and successful.

Deliver as soon as possible: By generating worthwhile deliverables as soon as possible and refining designs, we may increase the project's return on investment (ROI). Through the quick evolution of possibilities, we will find the best answer.

Optimize the system: We want to recognize that a system is greater than its components' sum. We examine the project's parts to see how it fits with the company. We also put a lot of effort into creating better intergroup relations as part of optimizing the entire.

Build quality in: Lean development uses methods like refactoring, continuous integration, and unit testing to continuously ensure quality throughout the development process rather than trying to "test in" quality at the end.

Defer decisions: Making judgments and commitments as late as possible is balanced with early planning. This can entail, for instance, revising the backlog's priorities just before starting the work or avoiding being forced to use an early, technologically constrained solution.

Amplify learning: This idea calls for encouraging early and frequent contact, obtaining feedback as quickly as feasible, and building on what we discover. We should start early and never stop learning since knowledge work initiatives are business and technological learning opportunities.

4. Feature-Driven Development (FDD) 

FDD (Feature-Driven Development) is an easy-to-understand but effective method for creating products or solutions. A project team using the FDD methodology will first create a general model of the product, create a list of features, then schedule the work to eventually go through the design and construction stages. FDD suggests a collection of best practices that were inspired by software engineering. Among them are  

Domain object modeling: Teams study and describe the domain (or business environment) of the problem to be solved in this exercise. Developing by feature entails dividing tasks into two-week or smaller chunks of labor, which are then referred to as features.

Individual class (code) ownership: This technique assigns a single owner to a section of code for conceptual coherence, performance, and consistency.

Feature teams: These are compact, spontaneously assembled teams that vet designs and enable the evaluation of several design choices before the selection of a design reducing the hazards connected with individual ownership.  

Inspections: These are checks to make sure the design and code are of high quality.  

Configuration management: This entails labeling code, keeping track of modifications, and controlling source code.  

Regular builds: The team ensures that the new code works with the current code through regular builds to keep the team up to date for user demos.   

Results and progress visibility: Visual information radiators such as the cumulative flow diagrams and parking lot diagrams help effective tracking and visibility of team progress and associated metrics.  

5. Behavior-Driven Development (BDD) 

Behavior-Driven Development, or BDD, is an Agile methodology that emphasizes collaboration between developers, testers, and business stakeholders to build software that truly aligns with user needs. At its core, BDD focuses on defining the desired behavior of a system through clear, human-readable language, often using real-world examples. 

What sets BDD apart is its use of a shared language—typically structured in the “Given-When-Then” format—to describe how the system should behave in different scenarios. These descriptions serve as the foundation for automated tests and become a single source of truth for everyone involved. This approach helps eliminate ambiguity, reduces the risk of miscommunication, and ensures that development stays closely aligned with business goals. 

BDD encourages a test-first mindset, where behavior specifications are written before any code is developed. These specifications double up as both functional documentation and test cases, creating a living documentation system that evolves with the product. 

By involving stakeholders early and often, BDD helps teams validate assumptions quickly and adapt to changing requirements more effectively. It supports faster feedback loops, improves code quality, and ensures that features are built based on actual user expectations—not just technical assumptions. 

Overall, Behavior-Driven Development is a powerful technique for teams looking to build software that delivers real business value. It fosters transparency, boosts collaboration, and bridges the gap between technical and non-technical team members—making it a vital practice in any Agile environment. 

5. Dynamic Systems Development Method (DSDM)

One of the first agile methodologies was called DSDM, and it had a very precise and prescriptive beginning. The DSDM life cycle is depicted in the picture below.  

There are eight guiding concepts for DSDM, viz:   

1. Focus on the business need   
2. Deliver on time   
3. Collaborate   
4. Never compromise quality   
5. Build incrementally from firm foundations   
6. Develop iteratively   
7. Communicate continuously and clearly   
8. Demonstrate control   

By promoting early architectural considerations, agile appropriateness criteria, and agile contracts, DSDM has influenced the growth of agile.

6. Kanban

Kanban is a well-known Lean workflow management methodology for designing, monitoring, and enhancing information work delivery offerings. It enables you to visualize your job, increase productivity, and continuously get better.

Kanban Board - Teams may easily visualize and manage their operations using Kanban boards by using Card, columns, Swim lanes, and WIP Limits. They can help you visualize additional aspects of your workflow, such as process regulations (instructions for utilizing the board) and work-in-process (WIP) ceilings, in addition to the steps in your workflow.

Kanban System - The term "Kanban system" refers to the management of work, enhancement of workflow, and continuous improvement methodology employing Kanban boards and cards to help teams work faster and more effectively.

7. Crystal

Crystal isn't just one technique; it's a family of tailored, situation-specific approaches that are color-coded. Crystal can handle a wide range of projects, from a small team developing a low-criticality system (Crystal Clear) to a large team developing a high-criticality system, thanks to the customization of each technique by criticality and team size (Crystal Magenta).

A fantastic illustration of how agile approaches may be modified to accommodate the unique qualities of a project is the Crystal framework. The first five "colors" (methodologies) of the crystal, for instance, are depicted in the figure below.

8. SAFe

The top business agility framework in the world is SAFe for Lean Enterprises. SAFe is a type of agile methodology that combines the strength of Lean, Agile, and DevOps into an all-encompassing operating system that aids businesses in thriving in the digital age by producing cutting-edge goods and services more quickly, predictably, and of higher quality.   

SAFe's business advantages

SAFe provides a multitude of advantages such as coordinated and organized delivery processes, better control for larger projects. Any project manager or product manager who would like to increase their grip on the SAFe concept can join KnowledgeHut’s Agile Management training courses.

Why Are Companies Switching to Agile Methodologies? 

In an era where change is constant and rapid, traditional project management approaches often fall short of meeting evolving demands. This is why a growing number of companies are turning to Agile methodologies, which offer the adaptability, speed, and responsiveness needed to thrive in dynamic markets. Agile empowers teams to adjust quickly, deliver solutions faster, and stay in sync with customer expectations. 

The shift toward Agile is largely driven by the increasing need for faster innovation and shorter delivery timelines. In industries where time-to-market is critical, prolonged development cycles and slow feedback can hinder progress. Agile counters this by organizing work into short, iterative sprints, enabling frequent releases, continuous feedback, and ongoing refinement. 

When exploring the different approaches to Agile, it’s essential to understand the types of Agile methodologies that organizations can adopt. Each offers unique frameworks—like Scrum, Kanban, and XP—tailored to specific team dynamics and project needs.

In addition, Agile promotes stronger communication and teamwork. Tools like stand-up meetings and sprint retrospectives encourage cross-functional collaboration and keep everyone aligned with project goals. 

Agile is more than a process—it's a cultural shift that emphasizes adaptability, customer involvement, and continuous progress. For organizations aiming to maintain a competitive edge, minimize delays, and stay responsive to market shifts, adopting Agile has become a strategic necessity rather than a mere option. 

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Conclusion

The Agile Development technique is a revamped method of creating software products that emphasizes adaptability and speed. Agile generates crucial metrics, such as lead time, cycle time, and throughput, which assist in assessing the performance of the team, locating bottlenecks, and making data-driven decisions to address them.

Iterative software development is the foundation of agile methods. The end of an iteration results in the construction of an autonomous operational module. All the different types of Agile methodologies discussed above use innovative techniques and concepts that allow a team to build products quickly. This makes Agile especially well-suited for environments where requirements frequently change.

You can learn the various types of agile methodology by joining any of the upGrad KnowledgeHut Agile Management training courses.