What is Lightning Data Service (LDS) and how is it used in LWC?

Lightning Data Service (LDS) is a centralised data layer in LWC that handles record CRUD operations while enforcing FLS/CRUD security, caching data on the client, and refreshing multiple components when a record changes. Key wire adapters: getRecord: Reads record data. getRecordCreateDefaults: Gets default values for record creation. updateRecord: Updates a record (imported from lightning/uiRecordApi). createRecord / deleteRecord: Create or delete records imperatively. Example: import { getRecord, updateRecord } from 'lightning/uiRecordApi'; LDS caches data browser-side and notifies all components using the same record when it is updated — providing automatic UI consistency without manual refresh. Always prefer LDS over direct Apex calls for standard CRUD operations.