Ruby is a dynamic, high-level programming language known for its elegant and concise syntax, designed to prioritize developer productivity and readability. Created by Yukihiro Matsumoto in the mid-1990s, Ruby is characterized by its object-oriented nature, strong support for functional programming, and a vibrant community of developers. It is often used for web development, scripting, and automation tasks, thanks to its powerful libraries and frameworks like Ruby on Rails, making it a popular choice for building web applications. Ruby's focus on developer happiness and flexibility has endeared it to programmers worldwide, making it a versatile and enjoyable language for a wide range of software development projects.