MetaMask is a plugin for internet browsers, which lets you connect to the Ethereum blockchain. You can connect and interact with distributed applications using MetaMask without installing a local full blockchain node. It provides the UI to sign the transactions and keep your identities for different distributed applications.
You can connect to the Ethereum blockchain by installing the Ethereum wallet software provided by the Ethereum Foundation itself. However, it requires the full Ethereum blockchain to be downloaded to your machine before initiating any transaction. Downloading the full blockchain ledger would require gigabytes (GBs) of hard-drive storage space and necessitates keeping the wallet software running all of the time. Hence, it is preferred to use the MetaMask plugin, which is fast, provides secure communication, and needs a negligible...