Two main Jain traditions—Shvetambar (white-clad) and Digambar (sky-clad)—developed over time and in different regions, but both follow the same core Jain principles (ahimsa, satya, aparigraha, anekanta, etc.). The split happened for a mix of historical, doctrinal, and practical reasons after the time of Mahavira.

Key points in simple terms:

• Dress and monastic practice: Shvetambar monks wear white clothes; Digambar monks practice nudity (sky-clad). This difference reflects divergent ideas about monastic discipline and renunciation.
• Canon and scriptures: Both groups revere Mahavira and the Tirthankaras, but they differ in how they regard the Jain scriptures. Shvetambar tradition accepts a larger set of agamas (scriptures) that describe teachings and rules; Digambar tradition emphasizes a more austere, minimalist approach to monastic rules and has its own set of texts. Differences in how scriptures were preserved and interpreted contributed to the split.
• Role of women: Generally, Shvetambar tradition accepts women as nuns who can attain moksha through proper spiritual practice, while Digambar tradition traditionally holds stricter views about the possibilities for women to attain liberation in certain historical contexts. These differences reflect broader debates about gender and renunciation within Jain communities.
• Geography and community life: Over centuries, Jain communities in different regions (north/central India for Digambar; western/central India for Shvetambar) developed their own practices, temples, and rites. This regional evolution reinforced the two panths.

What remains the same:

• The core Jain aim of liberation (moksha) from the cycle of birth and death.
• The three jewels: right belief (Samyak Darshan), right knowledge (Samyak Jnana), and right conduct (Samyak Charitra).
• Key ethical principles like non-violence (ahimsa), non-attachment (aparigraha), and truth (satya).

If you’d like, I can share more about specific practices, festivals, or beliefs that distinguish the two panths, or point to canonical summaries in Jain texts.