Objects are a fundamental part of JavaScript, allowing you to store collections of data and more complex entities. Unlike primitive data types that hold only a single value (such as strings or numbers), objects can store varied data types and represent real-world entities more effectively by grouping related data and functionality.

In JavaScript, an object is a standalone entity, with properties and types. Think of it as a container for values in a key:value pair format. These values can be properties and functions (methods when inside objects).