What process occurs within stars that makes them different from other objects in the universe

Stars are formed when a large cloud of gases containing hydrogen and helium heat up and collapse into a mass of hot sphere due to the force of gravitational pull. These hot gases inside the hot massive sphere are subjected to immense pressure due to the gravity. The atoms of these gases collapse and fuse with the neighbouring atoms to undergo the process of atomic fusion. This process releases so much energy that the hot mass of sphere starts to glow and become a star.