Zuul is an open-source gateway service that acts as a reverse proxy, routing requests from clients to various backend services. It is part of the Netflix OSS ecosystem and is designed to handle dynamic routing, load balancing, and security. By centralizing these functions, Zuul simplifies the management of microservices in a distributed system. Developed primarily in Java, Zuul allows developers to create custom filters for request and response processing. This flexibility enables features like authentication, logging, and monitoring, making it easier to manage complex applications. Its integration with other tools in the Spring Cloud framework enhances its capabilities for building cloud-native applications.