The with statement in Python is used to define a block of code where certain resources are managed efficiently. It ensures that the resources are properly initialized and cleaned up when they are no longer needed, even if an exception occurs.

One common use of the with statement is for working with files. When you open a file using the open() function, you can use the with statement to automatically close the file when you are done reading or writing to it.

Here's an example of how to use the with statement to read a file:

with open('example.txt', 'r') as file:  
    data = file.read()  
    print(data)  

In this example, the open() function is used to open the file example.txt for reading ('r' mode). The file is automatically closed when the with block is exited, even if an exception occurs.

You can also use the with statement with other resources, such as network connections or database connections. The idea is to encapsulate the resource management within the with block, so that you don't have to worry about explicitly closing or releasing the resource.

Overall, using the with statement in Python helps improve code readability and reduces the chances of resource leaks. It is a recommended practice when working with resources that need to be properly managed.