The document outlines the differences between Spanning Tree Protocol (STP), Rapid Spanning Tree Protocol (RSTP), Per VLAN Spanning Tree (PVST), and Multiple Spanning Tree (MST). Key differences include RSTP's use of a discarding state for certain port states and its ability to send BPDUs regularly, whereas STP relies on root bridge-generated BPDUs. Additionally, PVST operates a separate STP for each VLAN, while MST combines multiple VLANs into a single spanning tree for improved load balancing and fault tolerance.