A STAR DELTA starter is a type of reduced voltage starter. We use it to reduce the starting current of the motor without using any external device or apparatus. This is a big advantage of a star delta starter, as it typically has around 1/3 of the inrush current compared to a DOL starter.
A DOL (Direct On-Line) starter is a type starting the motor directly/immediately.
A soft starter is a solid-state system or device that protects AC electric motors from damage caused by sudden influxes of power by limiting the large initial inrush of current associated with motor startup. They provide a gentle ramp up to full speed and are used only at startup (and stop, if equipped).