What is Robotic Process Automation and how does it differ from traditional automation?

RPA uses software robots that mimic human interactions with digital systems through the user interface layer. Unlike traditional automation which requires API integration or custom code, RPA operates at the presentation layer: clicking buttons, typing into fields, reading screen content, and navigating between applications exactly as a human would. Key differentiator: RPA requires no changes to underlying systems, making it ideal for automating processes across legacy applications that lack APIs. Technology: RPA platforms (UiPath, Automation Anywhere, Power Automate) provide visual designers where business analysts can record or build automations by mapping human workflow steps to robot actions. Bot types: attended (runs alongside a human worker, triggered manually for task assistance), unattended (runs independently on a server, triggered by schedules or events), and hybrid (starts unattended, pauses for human input at decision points). Best suited for: high-volume, rule-based tasks involving structured data across multiple applications (data entry, report generation, invoice processing, employee onboarding, data migration). Not suited for: tasks requiring judgment, tasks with highly variable inputs, processes that change frequently, or tasks that can be solved with API integration (which is more robust). Limitations: UI-dependent automations are fragile (break when application layouts change), limited ability to handle exceptions and unstructured data, and maintenance overhead for keeping bots synchronized with application updates. Evolution: modern RPA platforms integrate AI capabilities (document understanding, NLP, computer vision) to handle semi-structured data and make simple decisions, evolving toward Intelligent Process Automation (IPA).