What is the difference between a red giant and a white dwarf?

A red giant is a star in the later stage of its life that has grown very large and bright. It forms when a medium-sized star, like the Sun, runs out of hydrogen and starts burning helium. A white dwarf, on the other hand, is what’s left after a red giant sheds its outer layers. It’s small, very dense, and no longer produces new energy. So, a red giant is a dying but active star, while a white dwarf is the quiet, cooling core that remains after the red giant stage.