This review summarizes progress in understanding star formation in the Milky Way and nearby galaxies over the past decade. It discusses methods for measuring gas content and star formation rates, and provides updated prescriptions for calculating star formation rates. The review covers relations between star formation and gas on scales ranging from entire galaxies to individual molecular clouds. It highlights the interface between extragalactic and Galactic studies, and the challenges in understanding star formation on different scales. The review emphasizes the importance of integrating observational and theoretical approaches to understand star formation processes. It also discusses the role of dust and gas tracers in studying star formation, and the limitations of current star formation rate tracers. The review concludes with a synthesis of findings from local and global studies, and a look ahead to future prospects in the field. The review addresses key questions in the field, including the interpretation of molecular diagnostic lines, the structure of the ISM, the mass spectra of molecular clouds, the IMF, the applicability of current star formation rate tracers, the lifetimes of molecular clouds, and the bi-modality in modes of star formation. The review also discusses the use of dust and gas tracers in studying star formation, and the challenges in interpreting these tracers. The review concludes with a discussion of the importance of integrating observational and theoretical approaches to understand star formation processes.This review summarizes progress in understanding star formation in the Milky Way and nearby galaxies over the past decade. It discusses methods for measuring gas content and star formation rates, and provides updated prescriptions for calculating star formation rates. The review covers relations between star formation and gas on scales ranging from entire galaxies to individual molecular clouds. It highlights the interface between extragalactic and Galactic studies, and the challenges in understanding star formation on different scales. The review emphasizes the importance of integrating observational and theoretical approaches to understand star formation processes. It also discusses the role of dust and gas tracers in studying star formation, and the limitations of current star formation rate tracers. The review concludes with a synthesis of findings from local and global studies, and a look ahead to future prospects in the field. The review addresses key questions in the field, including the interpretation of molecular diagnostic lines, the structure of the ISM, the mass spectra of molecular clouds, the IMF, the applicability of current star formation rate tracers, the lifetimes of molecular clouds, and the bi-modality in modes of star formation. The review also discusses the use of dust and gas tracers in studying star formation, and the challenges in interpreting these tracers. The review concludes with a discussion of the importance of integrating observational and theoretical approaches to understand star formation processes.