Ansible is an open-source automation tool used for configuration management, application deployment, and task automation. Developed by Red Hat, Ansible uses simple, human-readable YAML syntax to define automation jobs, allowing DevOps teams to manage complex IT tasks efficiently. Ansible operates without the need for agents on remote systems, using SSH for communication, which simplifies its deployment and maintenance. It is widely used for automating repetitive tasks, provisioning servers, orchestrating multi-tier deployments, and ensuring consistent environments across development, testing, and production stages.