The Manifesto for Agile Software Development (also known as the Agile Manifesto) is a set of guiding values and principles for individuals and teams who develop software using Agile methodology. It was written by a group of software development professionals in 2001, and it emphasizes communication, collaboration, and iterative development, among other things. This is the original link: http://agilemanifesto.org/

“We are uncovering better ways of developing software by doing it and helping others do it. Through this work we have come to value:

Individuals and interactions over processes and tools

Working software over comprehensive documentation

Customer collaboration over contract negotiation

Responding to change over following a plan

That is, while there is value in the items on the right, we value the items on the left more.”

The first sentence in the Agile Manifesto states, “Individuals and interactions over processes and tools.” This sentence emphasizes the importance of communication and collaboration among team members. Agile teams prioritize human interaction over relying too heavily on processes and tools. This means that Agile teams focus on building a strong team dynamic, where individuals can express their ideas and concerns freely. Agile practitioners understand that collaborative teams can produce better results than those that are dependent solely on fancy tools or complex processes.

The second sentence in the Agile Manifesto goes, “Working software over comprehensive documentation.” Here, Agile teams prioritize delivering functional software over spending time and resources on exhaustive documentation. Agile teams believe that software documentation, while important, should be kept to an essential minimum, focusing only on the necessary aspects of the project. Agile teams prioritize delivering working software as it can be tested and validated by users, which ultimately leads to improving the quality and overall satisfaction of the product.

The third sentence in the Agile Manifesto is “Customer collaboration over contract negotiation.” This sentence highlights the importance of working collaboratively with customers throughout the project development cycle. Agile practitioners believe that involving customers in the development process, unlike traditional contract negotiation, results in an outcome that is more aligned with the customer’s needs, desires, and overall satisfaction. This approach ensures that customer feedback is taken into account throughout the project, leading to a product that is more responsive to customer needs.

The fourth sentence of the Agile Manifesto, “Responding to change over following a plan,” emphasizes the importance of being flexible and adaptive to changes that may arise throughout the project development cycle. Agile teams practice iterative planning, where work is completed incrementally, and continuous refinement leads to a better understanding of the real project goals. Agile practitioners understand that changes can occur at any time during the project lifecycle, and so being able to respond and adapt quickly to those changes can help achieve project success.

Overall, the Agile Manifesto promotes an iterative and collaborative approach to software development that values working software, customer involvement, and flexibility over rigid processes and excessive documentation.