What is the purpose of a constructor in a class?

The purpose of a constructor in a class is to initialize objects upon creation. When a new instance of a class is created, the constructor is called automatically and it sets up the initial state of the object. This typically involves assigning values to the instance variables of the class, ensuring that the object starts its life in a valid and logical state. For example, if a class represents a Car, the constructor might initialize attributes such as color, make, and model to set up the specific characteristics of that Car object.

This initialization process is essential because it allows the object to be configured with necessary data right from the moment it is created, thus enforcing consistency and encapsulating the behavior specific to that class. By using constructors, developers can provide a clear and concise way to create and initialize objects, making the code more straightforward and easier to maintain.

The other options, while related to object management, do not describe the primary role of a constructor accurately. A constructor does not merely create a reference to an existing object, define properties of a class, or destroy objects; its main function is focused on setting up new objects.