What is the difference between a project and a program?

A project is a temporary entity established to deliver specific outputs in line with predefined time, cost and quality constraints. A program is a portfolio comprised of multiple projects that are managed and coordinated as one unit with the objective of achieving outcomes and benefits for the organization.

A project is a temporary undertaking to create a unique product or service. A project has a defined start and end point and specific objectives that, when attained, signify completion. A programme, on the other hand, is defined as a group of related projects managed in a coordinated way to obtain benefits not available from managing the projects individually. A programme may also include elements of on-going, operational work. So, a programme is comprised of multiple projects and is created to obtain broad organizational or technicalobjectives. There are many differences between a project and a programme including scope, benefits realization, time, and other variables. One notable difference is time; for example, a project by definition has a beginning and an end (or at least one hopes so!); certain programmes, while having a beginning may not have an end. A classic example of one of these types of programmes is an annual construction programme.

*(PM Tips spoke to J. LeRoy Ward, author of Dictionary of Project Management Terms)

Project creates a unique service, result or product or improvement. Outcomes maybe tangible or intagible. In buildings for example, repetitive elements maybe present in deliverables and activities but this repetition does not change the fundamental, unique characteristic of the project work.

Programs are group of related projects or subprograms. it has a larger scope and more significant benefits. Success is measured by the degree to which the program satisfies the needs and benefits for which it was undertaken

المشروع يطلق على كل عمل اثناء مراحل التنفيذ اما البرنامج هو قد يكون استراتيجية او خطة التنفيذ.

المشروع هو العمل المستهدف انجازه ببرنامج زمنى يتم فية تحديد المهام ومدد الانجاز  والموارد وغيرها للمشروع

اذن البرنامج هو احدى ادوات تنفيذ المشروع

 البرنامج هو جزء من تحقيق اهداف المشروع ويمكن ان نقول ان البرامج هو غايه لتحقيق هدف معين اما المشروع فهو هدف لشخص او بعض اشخاص لديهم حرفة فى شئ معين لتحقيقه وهدا على قدر علمى والله اعلى واعلم 

المشروع هو مجموعه من الانشطه لها بدايه زمنيه محدده ونهايه زمنيه محدده--لذلك يمكننا اعتبار البرنامج هو مشروع قائم بذاته

 STRUCTURE: A project is well-defined. You know what you are doing and the Project Charter sets out exactly what the scope and objectives are for the project. A program tends to have greater levels of uncertainty. The team is also bigger. The program team are supervising and coordinating the work on a number of projects so while the core team may not have that many people in, the wider team includes the project managers and all the project team members.

EFFORT:  This is the most significant difference betweenprojects and programs. A project represents a single effort. It is a group of people forming a team working towards a common goal. A program is different; it is a collection of projects. Together all the projects form a cohesive package of work. The different projects are complimentary and help the program achieve its overall objectives. There are likely to be overlaps and dependencies between the projects, so a program manager will assess these and work with the project managers concerned to check that overall the whole program progresses smoothly.

• Duration: Some projects do go on for several years but most of the projects you’ll work on will be shorter than that. On the other hand, programs are definitely longer. As they set out to deliver more stuff, they take longer. Programs tend to be split into tranches or phases. Some projects are also split like this, but not all projects last long enough to be delivered in multiple phases.
• Benefits: A project team works towards achieving certain outputs, that is, what you get at the end. For example, this could be a set of deliverables that form a software package, or a new retail branch, or whatever it is that you are working on. The benefits of a project tend to be tangible: you get a ‘thing’ at the end of it. A program team works towards delivering outcomes. Outcomes can be tangible but are often not. The benefits of a program are the sum of the benefits of all the different projects and this could amount to a policy or cultural change, or a shift in the way an organization works.

Project is a unique set of co-ordinated activities, with defined starting and finishing date undertaken by individual or organisation to meet specific objectives  with defined schedule, cost and performance parameters, “Projects bring about change” 

Whereas programme is a group of individual projects which are linked to a common objectives and must be managed together if the desired strategic benefits are to be achieved.

A program is a group of related projects.

Program management consists on a set of means to gain benefits and control related projects.

As pmbok say, program is a agroup of related projects.