OCaml is a functional programming language that emphasizes expressiveness and safety. It combines functional, imperative, and object-oriented programming features, making it versatile for various applications. Its strong type system helps catch errors at compile time, reducing runtime issues. Developed in the 1990s, OCaml is known for its performance and efficiency, particularly in tasks like data analysis and system programming. It supports automatic memory management through garbage collection, allowing developers to focus on writing code without worrying about memory leaks. The language has a growing ecosystem of libraries and tools, enhancing its usability in different domains.