Can you explain the purpose of the init() function in the context of programming?

In the Go language, the init() function is used to initialize a package before the main program executes. It is automatically called once when the package is loaded, prior to the call of the main() function.

Purpose of init():

• Initialization of variables, constants, or structures that require complex logic.
• Setting up the package state, such as registering handlers or connecting to resources.

Example:

package main

import "fmt"

var config string

func init() {
    config = "initialized"
    fmt.Println("init called")
}

func main() {
    fmt.Println("main called")
    fmt.Println("config:", config)
}

The output will be:

init called
main called
config: initialized

Thus, init() helps prepare the environment before the main program logic runs.