What is a Sprint?
A sprint is a fixed timebox — usually one to four weeks — in which a team commits to completing a set of work. Learn how sprints work in agile teams.
A sprint is a fixed period, typically one to four weeks, during which an agile team commits to completing a set of work pulled from the backlog. At the end of the sprint, the team reviews what shipped and starts the next cycle. Sprints are the core timebox of scrum, and the rhythm many kanban teams still use for planning.
How sprints are planned
Sprint planning starts with a goal. The team pulls backlog items they believe they can finish, estimates them, and locks the sprint scope. During the sprint, work should only be added in emergencies — changing scope mid-sprint is what breaks the timebox.
Sprint reviews and retrospectives
Every sprint ends with a review (demo what shipped to stakeholders) and a retrospective (what went well, what to improve). These two meetings are where continuous improvement actually happens.
Sprints vs continuous flow
Kanban's continuous flow has no sprints — work ships when it is ready. Teams that want the planning rhythm of sprints but the flexibility of a board often keep a kanban board and simply plan in sprints on top of it.
Nimbus
Nimbus is kanban-first, so there is no sprint engine or burndown report. Teams that plan in sprints still use Nimbus's board for the work itself — the four-step loop of workspace, invite, triage, ship is built to repeat every sprint.
Frequently asked questions
How long should a sprint be?
One to two weeks for most product teams; four weeks is the traditional maximum. Shorter sprints tighten feedback but add planning overhead, so pick the shortest cadence your team can sustain.
What happens if the team cannot finish the sprint?
Unfinished work goes back to the backlog and is reprioritized. The point of the timebox is to reveal what the team can actually ship, not to punish the team.
Can you do sprints without scrum?
Yes. Many teams use a kanban board and plan in sprint-sized batches without scrum's roles and ceremonies. The board stays continuous; the planning gets a rhythm.
Ship your first sprint today.
Create a workspace and invite the team — the board is live the moment you open it.