Modernizr is an open-source JavaScript library that helps developers detect the availability of native implementations for next-generation web technologies in users' browsers. Its primary role is to determine whether the current browser supports features like HTML5 and CSS3, allowing developers to conditionally load polyfills or fallbacks when features are not available.
Modernizr is widely used in web development to ensure compatibility across a range of browsers, particularly when implementing modern web standards in environments where legacy browser support is required.