BLAS, or Basic Linear Algebra Subprograms, is a standardized set of low-level routines that perform common linear algebra operations. These operations include vector and matrix multiplication, as well as solving systems of linear equations. BLAS is widely used in scientific computing and engineering applications due to its efficiency and performance. The BLAS library is often implemented in optimized versions for various hardware architectures, allowing software developers to leverage high-performance computing resources. It serves as a foundation for higher-level libraries, such as LAPACK and NumPy, which provide more complex mathematical functions and algorithms for data analysis and numerical simulations.