The `Read()` method is a function commonly used in programming to retrieve data from a source, such as a file or a network stream. It allows developers to access the contents of the source in a structured way, often reading data one character or byte at a time. This method is essential for handling input in various applications, enabling the processing of text or binary data. In many programming languages, including C# and Python, the `Read()` method is part of input/output (I/O) libraries. It can be used with different types of data sources, such as FileStream or StreamReader, making it versatile for reading user input, files, or data from the internet.