Note:  In the process of creating this document (2016-06-13)

Note:  This document is valid for HTCondor version 8.5.5.

This is a comparison of the features of external sub-DAGs and splices
(see
{link: http://research.cs.wisc.edu/htcondor/manual/v8.5/2_10DAGMan_Applications.html#SECTION003108900000000000000}
and
{link: http://research.cs.wisc.edu/htcondor/manual/v8.5/2_10DAGMan_Applications.html#SECTION0031081000000000000000}
for detailed information).

Here's a table comparing external sub-DAGs and splices.  Note that the bold entries are the ones that are advantageous for a given feature.

| *Feature* | *External sub-DAGs* | *Splices* | *Notes* |
| Incorporate separate DAG files | *yes* | *yes* | |
| Rescue DAGs | *yes* | *yes* | |
| DAGMan recovery | *yes* | *yes* | |
| Multiple DAGMan instances | yes | *no* | |
| Possible combinatorial explosion of dependencies | *no* | yes | Until we implement socket nodes for splices |
| Dynamic creation of sub-workflows | *yes* | no | |
| PRE/POST scripts on sub-workflows | *yes* | no | Until we implement socket nodes for splices |
| Retries of sub-workflows | yes | no | |
| Workflow-wide throttling | no | yes | |
| Per-sub-workflow throttling | yes | no | |
| Node priorities on sub-workflows | yes | no | |
| Reduce memory footprint of large workflows | yes? | no | If used properly |
| Per-sub-workflow file final nodes | yes | no | |
| Abort sub-workflows individually | yes | no | |
| Variables associated with sub-workflows | yes | no | |
| Separate configuration for sub-workflows | yes | no | Can be good or bad |
| One node status file, etc., for entire workflow | no | yes | |