The gradient flow provides a gauge- and O(4)-invariant ultraviolet regulator for QCD. This opens new opportunities for combining non-perturbative lattice calculations with perturbative results, in particular in the context of an operator-product expansion (OPE). We review the concepts behind this and argue that, within the operator basis of a given OPE, the flow-time dependence of the conversion between flowed and regular Wilson coefficients is exact at each perturbative order. Recent applications to parton distribution functions, heavy-meson observables, quark masses, and gradient-flow definitions of the strong coupling are discussed. Finally, the perturbative formulation of the Ricci flow in quantum gravity and its application to the study of non-Gaussian fixed points is reviewed.