Is demo a step before real trading?

A demo account is definitely a good way to try out your strategy without risking any capital. But this is only good for you if you understand two things:

1. A demo account doesn't justify you trying random things just to see what works
2. A demo account should reflect what you intend to do with a real/prop account. If you want to deposit $100 or buy a $5000 challenge, do not maximize the leverage to 1:1000 or have $200,000 in the demo account. This does not reflect what you want to do after proving your strategy.

Hopefully, you are still proving your strategy with more forward tested data or you're implementing it with your live account. Good luck in your trading endeavors

Pretty sure. A demo account is quite useful before we step into real trading. The operation/trading cost and strategy is important when we do real trade while the market will not allow our mistake. So I think all new traders should start with a Demo Account and practice at least 1 month to be familiar with it.

I really think it's necessary. Before jumping into live trading, using a demo account is super helpful. In real trading, things like transaction costs and strategy really matter, because the market won't give you any room for mistakes. So I believe every beginner trader should start with a demo account and practice for at least a month to get familiar with the process. I just started practicing on BYDFI, and every time I feel like making a move, I go to the demo account to build up my confidence.