Distributed computing involves using a network of computers to share and process data, rather than relying on a single machine. This approach enables the distribution of computational tasks across multiple nodes, which can lead to improved performance, scalability, and fault tolerance. By dividing workloads among several systems, distributed computing can handle large-scale data processing, complex simulations, and high-performance computing tasks more efficiently. It is widely used in cloud computing, big data processing, and large-scale scientific research. Key concepts include task distribution, synchronization, and communication between distributed nodes to ensure that the system functions cohesively and efficiently.