Touch events are interactions that occur when a user touches a screen or surface, commonly found in devices like smartphones and tablets. These events can include actions such as tapping, swiping, or pinching, allowing users to navigate applications and control features with their fingers. In programming, touch events are captured by the device's operating system and can be processed by applications. Developers can use these events to create responsive interfaces, enhancing user experience by recognizing gestures like touchstart, touchmove, and touchend, which correspond to the beginning, movement, and end of a touch interaction.