A DataFrame is a fundamental data structure used in data science and analysis, particularly within the Python programming language through the pandas library. It is a two-dimensional, size-mutable, and potentially heterogeneous tabular data structure, meaning it can hold various data types such as integers, strings, and floats. DataFrames are designed to facilitate data manipulation, analysis, and visualization, making them essential for tasks like sorting, filtering, and aggregating data. Originating from the R programming language, the concept has significantly influenced how data scientists and analysts work with structured data, providing an intuitive interface for handling complex datasets ¹³⁴.