A destructor is a special method in object-oriented programming that is automatically invoked when an object is destroyed or goes out of scope. The main role of a destructor is to perform clean-up tasks, such as releasing resources like memory, file handles, or database connections that were acquired during the object’s lifetime. Destructors help prevent resource leaks and ensure that system resources are properly managed.

Definition: A destructor is a method that is automatically called when an object is destroyed. It is used to clean up resources like closing files or releasing memory.

Unlike constructors, destructors do not take parameters and are not meant to initialize an object. Instead, they are used to perform cleanup activities before an object is removed from memory. In languages like C++ and Java, destructors are automatically invoked when an object is no longer needed, which typically occurs when the object goes out of scope or when it is explicitly deleted.

class Car:
    def __del__(self):
        print("Car object is being destroyed.")

In some programming languages, such as Python, garbage collection handles memory management automatically, so developers don’t need to explicitly define destructors. However, for more complex systems or in languages with manual memory management (like C++), defining a destructor is important for avoiding memory leaks and ensuring proper resource management.