Reactive programming is a programming paradigm that emphasizes an asynchronous, non-blocking, and event-driven approach to handling data streams and the propagation of change. This paradigm allows developers to create systems that can react to changes in data or events in real-time, making it particularly useful for applications that require high responsiveness and scalability.

In reactive programming, the focus is on the flow of data and the propagation of changes. This means that when a data source changes, all dependent components automatically receive updates without the need for explicit calls to refresh or update them. This is in contrast to traditional blocking or synchronous programming models, where operations may halt execution until a task is completed, potentially leading to inefficiencies and unresponsiveness in applications ²⁴.

Reactive programming is often implemented using libraries and frameworks that support reactive streams, such as RxJava or RxJS, which provide tools for composing asynchronous and event-driven programs ⁵.