What is the difference between Agile and Lean?

Lean and Agile are closely related philosophies with different origins and emphasis. Lean originated in Toyota's manufacturing (Toyota Production System) in the 1950s, formalized by Womack and Jones in "Lean Thinking" (1996). Core Lean principles: eliminate waste (7 wastes: defects, overproduction, waiting, non-utilized talent, transportation, inventory, motion), amplify learning, decide late (defer decisions to the last responsible moment), deliver fast, empower the team, build integrity in, optimize the whole. Agile originated in software development (Agile Manifesto, 2001). It applies many Lean principles to software: eliminating waste (unnecessary documentation, handoffs), delivering incrementally, empowering teams. Key differences: (1) Origin — Lean: manufacturing; Agile: software; (2) Scope — Lean is a complete business philosophy (extends to finance, HR, supply chain); Agile focuses on software development; (3) Emphasis — Lean: waste elimination and flow efficiency; Agile: iterative delivery and customer collaboration; (4) Frameworks — Lean: Kanban, Value Stream Mapping; Agile: Scrum, XP. Kanban bridges both philosophies — a Lean tool applied in Agile software contexts.