What does a destructor do in OOP?

A destructor is a special method in object-oriented programming that is automatically called when an object is no longer in use, typically when it goes out of scope or is explicitly deleted. The primary purpose of a destructor is to perform cleanup tasks that deallocate resources that the object may have acquired during its lifetime, such as memory, file handles, or network connections.

When an object is created, it may allocate various resources to carry out its functions. If these resources are not properly deallocated when the object is destroyed, it can lead to memory leaks or resource exhaustion, which can cause a program to behave unexpectedly or crash. The destructor serves the crucial role of ensuring that all resources are properly released, thus maintaining the integrity of the program and preventing such issues.

In contrast, some of the other options describe incorrect uses or behaviors. For example, the suggestion that a destructor is invoked only when an object is first created confuses the roles of constructors and destructors. While a constructor is indeed responsible for initializing a new object, this is distinctly different from a destructor's role of cleanup after use. Similarly, the idea that a destructor is used to give objects their initial state is incorrect because this is the function of a constructor, not a destructor. The focus of