jQuery is a fast, small, and feature-rich JavaScript library that makes it easier to write JavaScript code for websites and web applications. It is designed to simplify common tasks such as HTML manipulation, event handling, and animation, which makes it easier for developers to build interactive and dynamic web pages. Some key features of jQuery include:

  1. DOM manipulation: jQuery provides a convenient way to manipulate the Document Object Model (DOM), which represents the structure of a web page and allows developers to change the content, layout, and appearance of a page.
  2. Event handling: jQuery provides a simple way to handle events, such as clicks, hover, and scroll, which allows developers to build interactive web pages that respond to user input.
  3. Animation: jQuery provides a variety of methods for creating smooth and interactive animations, which can be used to add visual interest to web pages.
  4. AJAX: jQuery includes a set of tools for making asynchronous HTTP requests, which allows developers to build web applications that can communicate with a server in the background without the need to reload the page.
  5. Cross-platform compatibility: jQuery is supported by a wide range of devices and browsers, which makes it a popular choice for building web applications that need to work across different platforms.
  6. Extensibility: jQuery is designed to be extensible and can be easily extended with custom plugins or modified to meet the specific needs of a project.