When 'kiting' an opponent, what is the core reason for moving away while simultaneously attacking?

Kiting is a combat strategy where a player, the kiter, attacks an opponent while constantly moving away to maintain distance. The core reason for moving away while simultaneously attacking during kiting is to exploit a range disparity between the kiter and the opponent. The kiter possesses an effective attack range—the maximum distance from which they can inflict damage—that is greater than the opponent's. By moving away, the kiter ensures the opponent remains outside their own effective attack range, thereby preventing the opponent from dealing damage or significantly minimizing the damage taken. Simultaneously attacking allows the kiter to continuously inflict damage on the opponent from a safe distance, leveraging their superior range to maintain offensive pressure without incurring risk. This fundamental objective is to maximize the kiter's damage output over time while minimizing or entirely preventing incoming damage, leading to victory through controlled engagement distance.