DNA replication is the process by which a cell makes an identical copy of its DNA. It involves unwinding the DNA double helix at a replication fork and using each original strand as a template to build new partner strands through base pairing. The leading strand is continuously synthesized toward the replication fork, while the lagging strand is synthesized in fragments that are later joined together by ligase enzymes. This ensures each daughter cell inherits an identical copy of the original DNA sequence.