What is the padding in image processing?

Padding in image processing refers to the technique of adding extra pixels around the borders of an image, often with a specific value (such as zeros or duplicates of border pixels). This is commonly used in convolution operations to maintain the original image dimensions after applying filters, preventing the loss of information at the edges. Padding helps in ensuring that every pixel can be processed, especially at the edges, and can also aid in reducing edge effects during filtering.