CODASYL, or the Conference on Data Systems Languages, was an organization formed in the 1970s to develop standards for data management and programming languages. It played a crucial role in the creation of the DBTG (Database Task Group) model, which established guidelines for database management systems. The CODASYL approach emphasized the use of network databases, allowing for more complex relationships between data entities. This model influenced the development of various database systems and programming languages, contributing to the evolution of data management practices in computing.