Agile is an approach to software development in which a product grows in short cycles, with working software and client feedback after every cycle. The approach goes back to the Agile Manifesto from 2001, written by 17 people. Scrum is the best-known agile framework, described in the Scrum Guide (November 2020) by Ken Schwaber and Jeff Sutherland. In 2026, a Scrum Team typically counts 10 people or fewer and works in sprints of one month or less. In each sprint, step 1 is Sprint Planning, step 2 the Daily Scrum, step 3 the Sprint Review and step 4 the Sprint Retrospective. For example, a one-person studio such as VirtuoLab borrows the sprints, backlog and demos, but not the full team structure. Clients of VirtuoLab see working software after the first sprint, with a demo via Microsoft Teams or on location.
What is agile software development?
Agile software development is a way of building software in small, working steps instead of one large delivery at the end. The approach goes back to the Manifesto for Agile Software Development from 2001. The manifesto lists 17 people as authors, including Kent Beck, Martin Fowler, Ken Schwaber and Jeff Sutherland. The text contains four values and twelve principles. Working software should arrive every couple of weeks to every couple of months, according to Principle 3, preferably on the shorter timescale. Additionally, the seventh principle calls working software the primary measure of progress. In practice, agile means a client sees real screens early, tests real features and shifts priorities along the way. Teams work with Scrum, Kanban or Extreme Programming to turn the agile values into concrete routines. For a business owner in 2026, the benefit is early feedback, while a correction is still cheap.
The four values of the Agile Manifesto:
How is agile different from the waterfall method?
The waterfall method is a sequential approach in which analysis, design, development, testing and delivery follow each other in fixed phases. Each phase starts only when the previous phase is finished. Waterfall works well when requirements are stable and fully known, for example in a one-off migration of 5,000 customers to a new system. Software for a growing business in 2026 rarely stays stable, however. Users discover new needs as soon as the first screen appears. In a waterfall project, the client sees the result at the end, so a misunderstanding in week 2 becomes expensive in month 6. Agile cuts the same work into short cycles. Every cycle ends with working software, a demo via Microsoft Teams, Google Meet or on location, and a decision about the next priority. Additionally, testing happens in every cycle instead of in one final phase. The table compares the differences a client notices most.
How does Scrum work according to the Scrum Guide?
Scrum is a lightweight framework for solving complex problems in short, inspectable cycles. The official rules are in the Scrum Guide (November 2020) by Ken Schwaber and Jeff Sutherland, still the current version in 2026. The guide describes a Scrum Team of one Scrum Master, one Product Owner and Developers, typically 10 people or fewer. Work happens in sprints of one month or less. Every sprint contains four events: Sprint Planning, the Daily Scrum, the Sprint Review and the Sprint Retrospective. Three artifacts keep the work transparent. The Product Backlog lists everything the product might need, and the Sprint Backlog holds the plan for one sprint. The Increment is the usable result, a concrete stepping stone toward the Product Goal. In practice, many teams track the backlog with Jira or Trello. Finally, Scrum rests on three pillars: transparency, inspection and adaptation.
What happens during a sprint, step by step?
A sprint is a fixed period of one month or less in which a team turns backlog items into a usable increment. Step 1 is Sprint Planning, where the team chooses a Sprint Goal and the backlog items needed for the goal. Step 2 is the build phase, where developers design, code and test small pieces every day. A Daily Scrum of at most 15 minutes keeps a team of up to 10 people aligned. Step 3 is the Sprint Review, where stakeholders see working software and decide what comes next. The Sprint Review is a working session, not just a presentation, according to Ken Schwaber and Jeff Sutherland. Finally, step 4 is the Sprint Retrospective, where the team decides what to improve. Every increment must meet the Definition of Done, the shared quality standard for finished work. For example, a Definition of Done for a web app built with Next.js in 2026 can require automated tests, a code review and a test deployment.
Can Scrum work with a single developer?
Scrum by the book is a team framework, so a single developer cannot run Scrum in the strict sense. The Scrum Guide (November 2020) describes three separate accountabilities and states the Product Owner is one person, not a committee. A solo developer who also acts as Scrum Master only coaches himself, and a Daily Scrum with one participant is a to-do list. VirtuoLab is a one-person software agency in Papendrecht, so VirtuoLab does not claim to run Scrum. Instead, VirtuoLab borrows the agile parts which work at any size. The first part is a prioritised backlog, the second is short sprints, and the third is a demo of working software via Microsoft Teams along the way. The client steers along the way and decides what matters most, a role close to the Product Owner. In practice, clients communicate directly with the developer in 2026, without an account manager in between.
How does VirtuoLab use short sprints and demos?
VirtuoLab is a software agency in Papendrecht which builds web apps, mobile apps and SaaS platforms in short sprints with demos along the way. Every project follows four steps. First comes an intake and scope session, which is free. Second, design and validation turn the scope into screens and a plan. Third, building and testing happen in short sprints, each followed by a demo of working software via Microsoft Teams or on location. Finally, launch and support put the product live. The price is fixed before any code is written, and the client owns the code and the data afterwards. For example, a simple web app costs €5,000 to €10,000 and takes 3 to 6 weeks in 2026. A medium-sized web app of €10,000 to €25,000 takes 6 to 12 weeks. Prices are indications, and the exact price follows a free intake. VirtuoLab builds with Next.js, TypeScript and PostgreSQL, and the developer who builds the software presents every demo.
When is agile not the right choice?
Agile is the wrong choice when the scope is small, fixed and fully known in advance. A simple API integration of €1,500 to €4,000 often has one clear goal, for example: orders from Shopify must sync with Exact Online. For a job of a few days, a short plan with one test round is faster than sprints. Agile also fails when the client has no time for feedback. Business people and developers must work together daily throughout the project, according to Principle 4. A demo without a decision from the client wastes a sprint, whether the demo runs on location or via Google Meet. Additionally, some projects need a complete specification up front, for example for a tender or a strict compliance review. In such cases a hybrid approach works best: a fixed specification first, then short build cycles with demos. In practice, the real question in 2026 is how much feedback a project needs.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between Agile and Scrum?
Agile is a set of values and principles, while Scrum is a concrete framework for putting the values into practice. The Agile Manifesto dates from 2001. The manifesto describes what matters, such as working software and responding to change. The Scrum Guide by Ken Schwaber and Jeff Sutherland describes how a team organises the work: accountabilities, events and artifacts. The guide also sets firm rules, such as a Scrum Team of 10 people or fewer and sprints of one month or less. Scrum is one agile framework among several. Kanban focuses on a continuous flow of work without fixed sprints. Additionally, Extreme Programming focuses on engineering practices such as pair programming and test-driven development. In practice, many teams in 2026 mix elements, for example Scrum sprints with Kanban boards in Jira or Trello. Every Scrum project is agile, but not every agile project uses Scrum.
How long should a sprint be?
A sprint lasts one month or less, according to Ken Schwaber and Jeff Sutherland in the Scrum Guide of November 2020. Within the limit, the right length depends on how quickly feedback is needed. Shorter sprints mean more frequent demos and faster correction, but also more planning moments. For small software projects in 2026, sprints of one or two weeks are common. A simple web app with a timeline of 3 to 6 weeks would otherwise contain only one or two feedback moments. Longer sprints of three or four weeks suit larger teams of 7 to 10 people with stable priorities. The most important rule is consistency, because a fixed rhythm makes progress comparable from sprint to sprint. For example, a client can reserve the same hour every second Friday for a demo via Microsoft Teams. A short, predictable demo slot keeps feedback flowing without long meetings.
How does a fixed price fit with agile working?
A fixed price fits agile work when the budget is fixed and the scope stays flexible within clear limits. At VirtuoLab, the price is agreed before any code is written, based on the scope from the free intake. As an indication in 2026, a simple web app costs €5,000 to €10,000. During the sprints, a shared backlog shows which features fall inside the agreed scope. Agile welcomes changing requirements, even late in development, according to Principle 2 of the Agile Manifesto. A new idea then gets one of two options. The first option is to swap the new item for an existing item of similar size. The second option is to plan the new item for a later phase. For example, an export feature can move to phase 2, while login and billing go live first for the first 100 users. The approach protects both sides: the client keeps budget certainty, and the project keeps room to respond to change.