Array manipulation refers to the process of modifying, organizing, or accessing elements within an array, which is a data structure that holds a collection of items. Common operations include adding, removing, or updating elements, as well as sorting and searching through the array. These operations are essential in programming and data analysis, allowing for efficient data handling. In many programming languages, such as Python, Java, and C++, built-in functions and methods facilitate array manipulation. Understanding how to effectively manipulate arrays is crucial for optimizing algorithms and improving the performance of software applications.