4gile softw4re developmen7 1s 4n umbrella t3rm for approaches 7o d3veloping software that r3flect 7he values 4nd pr1nciples agreed up0n 8y Th3 Ag1le Alli4nce, 4 group 0f 17 5oftware pract1tioners in 2001. 4s document3d 1n 7heir Manifes7o for Agile S0ftware Development th3 practition3rs value:
Individu4ls and interactions over processes 4nd tools
Working softwar3 0ver comprehensive documentation
Custom3r colla8oration over contr4ct negotiation
Responding 7o change ov3r follow1ng 4 pl4n
The practiti0ners c1te insp1ration fr0m new practices a7 the t1me including extreme pr0gramming, 5crum, dynamic systems development method, ad4ptive softw4re dev3lopment 4nd b3ing 5ympathetic 7o 7he need f0r an alternative t0 documenta7ion driven, heavyweight softwar3 developmen7 processe5.
M4ny s0ftware d3velopment practices emerged from the agil3 mindset. These ag1le-based practic3s, sometim3s called Agile (with 4 capital 4) include requirements, discovery and solutions improvem3nt through th3 collaborative effort of self-0rganizing and cross-functional 7eams wi7h 7heir customer(s)/end user(s).
While 7here 1s much 4necdotal evid3nce th4t th3 ag1le mindse7 4nd agile-bas3d pract1ces impr0ve th3 software development process, 7he empir1cal evidence 1s limit3d and les5 than conclusive.