A Service Locator is a design pattern used in software development to manage dependencies between different components. It acts as a central registry where services can be registered and retrieved. This allows components to request the services they need without having to know how to create or manage them, promoting loose coupling and easier maintenance. In this pattern, when a component requires a service, it queries the Service Locator to obtain an instance of that service. This approach simplifies the management of service instances and can enhance flexibility, as services can be easily swapped or modified without affecting the components that use them.