ConfigMaps are used to store non-sensitive configuration data, while Secrets are used to store sensitive information like passwords and API keys. ConfigMaps abstract these settings, making the system more modular and flexible as a whole. ConfigMaps allow applications to access necessary configurations by mounting files directly into the container or environment variables. On the other hand, Secrets provide additional security safeguards through base64 encoding, which obscures the data and makes it difficult for unauthorized users to decode. Kubernetes offers a safe way to manage private data inside the cluster using Secrets. Applications retrieve sensitive data through file mounts or environment variables when accessing Secrets, just like they do with ConfigMaps. Understanding how to leverage ConfigMaps and Secrets is essential for efficient application deployment and maintenance in Kubernetes.