OpenMP, or Open Multi-Processing, is an application programming interface (API) that supports multi-platform shared-memory multiprocessing programming in C, C++, and Fortran. It allows developers to create parallel applications that can take advantage of multiple processing cores in a straightforward and portable manner. OpenMP achieves this by incorporating compiler directives, runtime library routines, and environment variables that enable the distribution of computation across multiple threads. It simplifies the process of parallel programming by providing a set of directives that can be easily integrated into existing code, thereby facilitating the creation of efficient and scalable parallel applications. Its versatility and compatibility with various programming languages have made it a popular choice for parallel programming, particularly in scientific and technical computing environments.