- Release planning focuses on deliverable features: the smallest set of stories/cases that deliver immediate business value.
- Sprint planning focuses on a subsection of the release plan which can be completed in an iteration. Each sprint will contribute to part of a release.
A sprint is a potential release, but most sprints are not releases
Sprints and Releases complement each other well.
- Sprints are essentially a time frame to achieve team goals,
- whereas Releases are usually deliverables (the product itself or part of the product).
Difference of scale
- Sprint planning is usually on a smaller scale because features from a release plan are chosen, which can be completed within a single iterative cycle.
- Release planning is on a larger scale because it can cover deliverables across multiple sprints.