Karel is a programming language designed for beginners to learn the basics of coding. It uses a simple set of commands to control a robot, allowing users to understand fundamental programming concepts like loops, conditionals, and functions. The language is often used in educational settings to introduce students to programming in a fun and interactive way. The Karel robot operates in a grid-like environment, where it can move, turn, and pick up or put down objects. This hands-on approach helps learners visualize how code translates into actions, making it easier to grasp more complex programming languages in the future, such as Python or Java.