I/O operations, or Input/Output operations, refer to the processes that allow a computer to communicate with the outside world. This includes reading data from devices like keyboards and mice (input) and sending data to devices like monitors and printers (output). These operations are essential for user interaction and data processing. In computing, I/O operations can be categorized into two types: synchronous and asynchronous. Synchronous I/O requires the program to wait until the operation is complete, while asynchronous I/O allows the program to continue executing while the operation is in progress. Efficient I/O operations are crucial for overall system performance.