How does the ability "double strike" in Magic: The Gathering impact combat strategies and card interactions?

The ability "double strike" in Magic: The Gathering allows a creature to deal damage twice in combat - first during the first strike combat damage step, and then again during the regular combat damage step. This ability can impact combat strategies by allowing a creature to potentially eliminate an opponent's creature before it has a chance to deal damage back. It also opens up new card interactions, such as pairing creatures with double strike with cards that grant additional combat bonuses or abilities.