Spring Boot is an open-source framework designed to simplify the development of Java applications. It provides a set of tools and features that help developers create stand-alone, production-ready applications quickly. By using Spring Boot, developers can avoid complex configurations and boilerplate code, allowing them to focus on building their applications. One of the key benefits of Spring Boot is its ability to automatically configure applications based on the libraries present in the project. This means that developers can easily set up web applications, RESTful services, and microservices without extensive setup. Additionally, Spring Boot supports various databases and integrates seamlessly with the broader Spring ecosystem.