A while loop is a programming construct that repeatedly executes a block of code as long as a specified condition is true. It starts by checking the condition; if it evaluates to true, the code inside the loop runs. This process continues until the condition becomes false, at which point the loop stops. While loops are useful for tasks that require repetition, such as counting or processing items in a list. They help automate repetitive tasks without needing to write the same code multiple times. Properly managing the loop's condition is essential to avoid infinite loops, where the code runs indefinitely.