Maven is a build tool used to manage Java projects and automate build processes. It is based on the Project Object Model (POM) and uses repositories to retrieve dependencies. Maven projects have a standard directory structure and are composed of parent projects and child modules. The POM defines project details like dependencies, reports, and build configuration. Maven can generate artifacts like JARs, WARs, and EARs through its plugins and goals. It handles tasks like compiling, testing, packaging, and deploying in an automated way.