An IDE Controller (Integrated Drive Electronics Controller) is a hardware component that manages the communication between a computer's motherboard and its storage devices, such as hard drives and solid-state drives. It allows the operating system to read and write data to these drives, facilitating the storage and retrieval of information. IDE controllers were commonly used in older computer systems, providing a simple interface for connecting multiple drives. They support the IDE standard, which defines how data is transferred between the drives and the computer. Although newer technologies like SATA (Serial Advanced Technology Attachment) have largely replaced IDE, understanding IDE controllers is essential for working with legacy systems.