DPDK is a set of drivers and libraries that allow applications to bypass the Linux kernel and access network interface cards directly for very high performance packet processing. It is commonly used for software routers, switches, and other network applications. DPDK can achieve over 11 times higher packet forwarding rates than applications using the Linux kernel network stack alone. While it provides best-in-class performance, DPDK also has disadvantages like reduced security and isolation from standard Linux services.