Type 1 produce zero insulin.
It is an autoimmune disease where the body destroys the insulin producing bodies in the pancreas. There are 2 markers that a blood test can pick up.
When they are present that confirms type 1.
They are totally insulin dependent since type 1s cannot produce any insulin and we need insulin to live.

Type 2s are insulin resistant, but most can produce some insulin.

Type 2 can become insulin dependent, but they are still type 2. They are not autoimmune. They do not become type 1.

There is a type 1.5 aka LADA, Latent Autoimmune Diabetes in Adults. It initially presents as type 2 and the type 2 medications seem to work. Then slowly the medications stop working and they have to go on insulin, when they can no longer produce insulin.

Type 1.5 is also an autoimmune disease but has only 1 marker.
It is an adult onset disease, while type 1 was called juvenile diabetes sine it presents most often in children.

Does this answer your questions @MtombiMthembo.

How else can we help you.
I wish for you more good days than bad and have many exceptional days too.

And never give up, never surrender, never ever.
You got this.
Have a wonderful day.

For the patient the only real difference is treatment options

Type 1, advanced LADA, and a couple variants of MODY "insulin" is the "only" treatment that will work

(Type 1 and LADA are auto-immune forms of diabetes and MODY is a genetic disorder that causes the diabetes)

Type 2 being a metabolic disorder means there is a greater range of treatment options - some can control it with diet alone, but a number of oral med options exist as well as insulin

Aside from "how to treat it" everything else is pretty much the same

Diet is important as is maintaining normal weight, getting exercise, conserving energy/pacing oneself

We all experience the same complications

The "type" of diabetes is essentially simply identifying "what caused it", after that, we are all pretty much the same....

Type1 autoimmune Type2 metabolic disorder