In computer science, a "leaf node" refers to a node in a data structure, such as a tree, that does not have any children. This means it is the endpoint of a branch in the tree, containing no further subdivisions. Leaf nodes are important for representing the final elements in hierarchical data, such as in file systems or organizational charts. In a binary tree, for example, each node can have up to two children. The leaf nodes in this structure are those that do not lead to any additional nodes, making them essential for understanding the overall structure and depth of the tree.