Product Backlog and Sprint Backlog

In Agile Scrum, work is organized and managed through backlogs, which act as lists of tasks, features, or requirements. Two important types of backlogs are the Product Backlog and the Sprint Backlog.
Although they sound similar, they serve different purposes and are used at different stages of the development process. Understanding their roles helps teams plan effectively and deliver value efficiently.

What is a Product Backlog

The Product Backlog is a prioritized list of all features, enhancements, bug fixes, and technical tasks needed for the product. It represents everything that could be built for the product, maintained by the Product Owner.
Items in the Product Backlog are called Product Backlog Items (PBIs) and are continuously refined as new requirements or ideas emerge. It serves as the single source of truth for what might be worked on in the future.

What is a Sprint Backlog

The Sprint Backlog is a subset of the Product Backlog that the development team commits to delivering during a specific Sprint. It contains the selected Product Backlog Items for the Sprint along with a plan for how to deliver them. Unlike the Product Backlog, the Sprint Backlog is owned and managed by the Development Team, and it evolves during the Sprint as work progresses.

Product Backlog vs Sprint Backlog

Some of the differences are as follows:

	Product Backlog	Sprint Backlog
Purpose	Represents the complete list of desired product features and tasks.	Represents the work planned for the current Sprint.
Scope	Entire product lifecycle.	One Sprint duration.
Owner	Product Owner.	Development Team.
Change Frequency	Continuously updated as priorities change.	Updated daily during the Sprint, but scope is fixed after Sprint Planning.
Detail Level	May contain high-level and detailed items.	Contains only detailed tasks ready for immediate development.
Timeframe	Long-term planning tool.	Short-term execution plan.