A **loop** is a programming concept used to repeat a set of instructions multiple times until a certain condition is met. It allows you to execute the same block of code several times without having to write it over and over again.
There are different types of loops in programming, such as:
1. **For loop**: Repeats a block of code a specific number of times.
- Example: If you want to print numbers from 1 to 5, you can use a `for` loop.
```python
for i in range(1, 6):
print(i)
```
2. **While loop**: Repeats a block of code as long as a certain condition is true.
- Example: If you want to print numbers from 1 to 5, you can use a `while` loop.
```python
i = 1
while i <= 5:
print(i)
i += 1
```
Loops are very useful when you need to process data, perform repetitive tasks, or handle large amounts of information without doing it manually.