`std::future` is a feature in the C++ Standard Library that allows for asynchronous programming. It represents a value that may not be available yet but will be computed in the future. This is useful for tasks that take time to complete, enabling programs to continue executing while waiting for results. To use `std::future`, you typically pair it with `std::async`, which starts a task in a separate thread. Once the task is complete, you can retrieve the result from the `std::future` object. This helps improve efficiency and responsiveness in applications by allowing concurrent execution of tasks.