Cloud computing refers to the delivery of computing services such as servers, storage, databases, software, and analytics over the internet (the "cloud") on a pay-as-you-go basis. It involves a network of remote servers hosted on the internet to store, manage, and process data instead of a local server or a personal computer. Cloud computing allows users to access their applications and data from anywhere with an internet connection, while the cloud service provider manages and maintains the infrastructure, security, and maintenance of the hardware and software.