JFrog Artifactory is a cornerstone of the DevOps ecosystem because it acts as the central hub for managing, storing, and distributing all software artifacts across the development lifecycle. It bridges the gap between continuous integration and continuous delivery by ensuring that every build component—binaries, containers, libraries, and dependencies—is versioned, traceable, and securely stored. Its universal repository support enables teams to work seamlessly across multiple technologies and programming languages, eliminating tool fragmentation. Artifactory integrates tightly with leading CI/CD tools like Jenkins, GitHub Actions, and Azure DevOps, allowing automated artifact flow from development to production. Additionally, its built-in security, access control, and metadata management features support compliance and governance at scale. By providing consistency, reliability, and visibility throughout the pipeline, Artifactory ensures faster releases and stronger collaboration, making it an indispensable element of modern DevOps practices.