What is the role of a destructor in memory management?

The role of a destructor in memory management is primarily to clean up resources before an object is destroyed. When an object goes out of scope or is explicitly deleted, the destructor is invoked. This function is critical for proper resource management because it ensures that any dynamically allocated memory or system resources (like file handles, network connections, etc.) are released properly, preventing memory leaks and other resource-related issues.

Destructors enable developers to define specific cleanup tasks that must occur before an object's destruction. For instance, if the object has allocated memory using the new operator, the destructor can call delete to free that memory. This systematic approach to resource management is crucial in programming environments where memory and resources are limited or where failing to clean up can lead to performance degradation or crashes.

In contrast, the other options do not align with the function of a destructor. Allocating new memory is typically the responsibility of a constructor, not a destructor. Increasing memory usage would contradict the purpose of a destructor, which is to avoid memory leaks. Converting objects to strings relates more to string manipulation or operator overloading rather than the role of a destructor.