Coroutines are a special type of function that can pause and resume their execution, allowing for more efficient handling of tasks. Unlike regular functions that run from start to finish, coroutines can yield control back to the caller, making them useful for managing asynchronous operations, like waiting for data from a server or handling user input without freezing the program. In programming languages like Python and JavaScript, coroutines help simplify complex workflows by allowing developers to write code that looks sequential, even when it’s actually running in a non-blocking manner. This makes it easier to create responsive applications, especially in scenarios involving I/O operations or concurrent tasks.