A database driver is a software component that allows applications to communicate with a specific type of database. It acts as a bridge between the application and the database management system (DBMS), translating the application's requests into a format that the database can understand. This enables developers to perform operations like querying, updating, and managing data stored in the database. Different types of database drivers exist for various databases, such as MySQL, PostgreSQL, and Oracle. These drivers can be implemented in different programming languages, allowing developers to choose the one that best fits their application's needs. By using a database driver, applications can efficiently interact with databases while maintaining compatibility and performance.