Arduino Stepper Motor Encoder Control

I’m integrating a NEMA-17 stepper into a small robotics prototype and need reliable position feedback. My current hardware stack is an Arduino Uno, a standard A4988 driver, and an incremental rotary encoder mounted on the motor shaft.

What I need from you is a clean, well-commented sketch that:

• Drives the stepper using the A4988,
• Reads the encoder in real time,
• Reports absolute position (in steps or degrees) over Serial, and
• Lets me set a target position via Serial and have the motor move there, stopping within one encoder count.

Please include a brief wiring diagram (hand-drawn or Fritzing is fine) so I can replicate your setup, and note any libraries you rely on beyond the Arduino core.

I’ll consider the job complete once the code compiles without warnings, the motor reaches commanded positions consistently, and the Serial monitor shows accurate position updates even after repeated moves.