Step

Step is a general term for a single movement of the foot or a single increment in a sequence. It is used in everyday speech and in technical contexts to denote progression or position.

In locomotion, a step is the movement of one foot from initial contact to the next ground contact. A full gait cycle includes two steps, and cadence measures steps per minute. Stride length combines two steps.

In architecture, a step is one horizontal tread paired with a vertical riser that forms part of a staircase. Steps are designed for safe ascent and descent and are specified for depth, rise, and uniformity.

In processes, a step denotes a discrete action within a sequence, such as a recipe step or a workflow step. Organizing tasks into steps helps clarity and tracking.

In mathematics and computing, a step function is a function that changes value at a threshold, remaining constant between thresholds. In computing, stepwise execution allows debugging code one statement at a time (step into, step over).

In music theory, a step refers to an interval of a second between adjacent notes. The term also appears in various fields to signal incremental change or movement. Some uses of step describe distance roughly equal to a pace.