The small cruisers of the Stettin class were very similar to their predecessors, the Bremen class. There was only a slight increase in size and engine performance, but this did not lead to a higher top speed.  The obvious difference to the older ships was a increased space between the second and third funnel.
This ships show a different philosophy than its British counterparts - while German small cruiser had a large number of relatively small guns (10 - and later ship classes had even more), the British favored lesser, but bigger guns (15,2 cm instead of 10,5 cm ones).

Stettin was used for fleet service and took part in the Battle of Helgoland which was fought with small cruisers,  torpedo boats and destroyers. It also participated in the Battle of Jutland as flagship of the 4th reconnaissance group. From 1917 on it was used in the submarine school and it was projected to rebuild it as an seaplane carrier like the Stuttgart , but this was stopped by the end of the war. Like its sister ship, the Stettin was delivered to England and scrapped in 1920.