Scrum vs Kanban Boards

Jira supports two main Agile board types — Scrum and Kanban — and choosing the right one depends on how your team plans and delivers work. Both boards visualize progress, but they operate on different rhythms.

How Scrum Boards Work

A Scrum board is built around fixed-length sprints, typically one to four weeks long. Teams plan a set amount of work at the start of the sprint, track it on the board during the sprint, and review completed work at the end, using velocity to plan future sprints.

How Kanban Boards Work

A Kanban board has no fixed sprints. Work flows continuously through columns, and teams often set work-in-progress limits to prevent overloading any single stage. This makes Kanban well suited for support teams and workflows where priorities shift frequently.

Key Differences to Know

• Scrum uses fixed sprints; Kanban uses continuous flow
• Scrum relies on sprint planning; Kanban relies on WIP limits
• Scrum boards reset each sprint; Kanban boards stay persistent
• Scrum suits planned feature work; Kanban suits ongoing support
• Both boards can be customized with columns and swimlanes