ORM (Object-Relational Mapping) is a programming technique that bridges the gap between object-oriented programming and relational databases. By abstracting database interactions, ORM allows developers to work with database data as if they were standard programming objects. Popular ORM tools, such as Hibernate for Java, SQLAlchemy for Python, and Sequelize for Node.js, simplify tasks like CRUD operations and complex queries. ORMs reduce the need for writing raw SQL, improving productivity and code maintainability. This approach is commonly used in modern web development to streamline data handling while maintaining a clean and efficient codebase.