Apache Hive is a data warehousing tool built on top of Apache Hadoop. It allows users to query and manage large datasets stored in Hadoop Distributed File System (HDFS) using a SQL-like language called HiveQL. This makes it easier for those familiar with SQL to work with big data without needing to learn complex programming languages. Hive is designed for batch processing and is optimized for reading and writing large volumes of data. It supports various data formats, including Text, ORC, and Parquet, enabling efficient storage and retrieval. Hive is commonly used in data analysis, reporting, and business intelligence applications.