Apache Kafka is an open-source distributed event streaming platform designed for high-performance data pipelines and real-time data processing. Initially developed by LinkedIn and later donated to the Apache Software Foundation, Kafka enables organizations to collect, process, and store large volumes of data efficiently. It operates as a publish-subscribe messaging system, allowing for the seamless transmission of messages between applications and services. With features like fault tolerance, scalability, and high throughput, Kafka is widely used for various applications, including real-time analytics, log aggregation, and event sourcing, making it a vital tool in modern data architecture.