HiveQL is a query language used with Apache Hive, a data warehousing tool built on top of Hadoop. It allows users to write SQL-like queries to manage and analyze large datasets stored in Hadoop Distributed File System (HDFS). HiveQL simplifies data processing by enabling users to perform operations such as filtering, aggregating, and joining data without needing to write complex code. Designed for ease of use, HiveQL is particularly beneficial for those familiar with traditional SQL. It translates queries into MapReduce jobs, which are executed on the Hadoop framework, making it suitable for big data applications.