A user story is a short, simple description of a feature or functionality of a software system or application that describes what a user wants or needs to do. It is a tool used in Agile software development to capture the requirements of the system from the perspective of the end user.

A user story typically follows a simple format, such as: "As a [user], I want [action], so that [goal]". For example, a user story for a social media application might be: "As a user, I want to be able to post updates to my profile, so that my friends can see what I'm up to."

User stories are intentionally brief and simple, with the goal of clearly communicating the user's needs and priorities in a way that is easilyunderstood by the development team. They are often written on index cards or sticky notes and organized on a board, making it easy to track progress and prioritize work.

User stories are a key tool in Agile development, allowing development teams to focus on delivering value to the user and responding to feedback and changes quickly and efficiently.