OLAP (Online Analytical Processing) is a category of software tools that provide analysis of data stored in a database. OLAP tools enable users to interactively explore and analyze multidimensional data from multiple perspectives. They support complex queries, calculations, and data modeling, facilitating tasks like trend analysis, financial reporting, and business forecasting. OLAP systems are designed to handle large volumes of data and deliver quick query responses, making them essential for business intelligence and decision-making processes.