In article , Ken Blake
wrote:



Film is processed first in developer, then in a stop bath (usually a
very dilute solution of acetic acid), them fixer. Then it is washed in
water to remove the fixer, and dried.

true for b/w prints. not true for colour film, especially reversal.


The same process
is used (developer, fixer, wash, dry) for developing


Yes, but you left out the stop bath again.

stop bath is very brief and only to stop further development, thus its
name. it doesn't actually do anything by itself. it can even be skipped
entirely, although that rapidly weakens the fixer.

in any event, the choice of the individual steps doesn't change the
name of the entire process.