Reading and writing files in Python is a fundamental skill for any programmer, especially in data science and software development. Python provides built-in functions that simplify file handling, allowing users to open, read, write, and close files efficiently. The primary function used for these operations is open(), which requires the file name and an optional mode that specifies how the file will be accessed, such as reading (‘r’), writing (‘w’), or appending (‘a’). Understanding these concepts is essential for manipulating data stored in various file formats, enabling effective data management and analysis in Python applications.