Intermediate Representation (IR) is a data structure used in computer programming and compiler design. It serves as a bridge between high-level programming languages, like Python or Java, and low-level machine code. By translating code into IR, compilers can optimize and analyze the program more effectively before generating the final executable. IR allows for various optimizations that improve performance and efficiency. It can be platform-independent, meaning the same IR can be used to generate machine code for different hardware architectures. This flexibility helps developers create more portable and efficient software applications.