A pipeline in software development is an automated sequence of stages that guide code changes from development to deployment. It comprises interconnected processes like building, testing, and deploying software, ensuring consistency and reliability throughout the development lifecycle. By automating tasks and enforcing standardized workflows, pipelines streamline development, enhance collaboration, and reduce manual errors. They enable Continuous Integration and Continuous Delivery practices, allowing teams to deliver updates quickly, efficiently, and with confidence in their quality. Overall, pipelines play a vital role in modern software development, facilitating faster delivery cycles, improved code quality, and better team productivity.