Sequence alignment is a method used in bioinformatics to compare and arrange sequences of DNA, RNA, or proteins. The goal is to identify regions of similarity that may indicate functional, structural, or evolutionary relationships between the sequences. By aligning sequences, researchers can better understand genetic variations and the roles of specific genes. There are two main types of sequence alignment: global alignment and local alignment. Global alignment compares entire sequences from start to finish, while local alignment focuses on finding the best matching subsequences. These techniques are essential for tasks such as gene identification and phylogenetic analysis.