What is the purpose of a 'switch' statement in scripts?

A 'switch' statement is designed to evaluate an expression against multiple possible values, allowing for a cleaner and more organized way to handle branching logic in scripts. When a specific case matches the evaluated expression, the corresponding block of code for that case is executed. This is especially useful when there are many potential conditions that need to be checked, as it avoids the complexity and potential verbosity of multiple 'if-else' statements.

Using a switch statement enhances readability and maintainability of the code, particularly when there are numerous conditions to evaluate. It allows the programmer to clearly outline which actions correspond to which values, making the logic easier to follow and modify.

The options that delve into repeating code blocks or defining functions do not align with the primary purpose of a switch statement. The function of executing a single piece of code regardless of conditions does not represent conditional logic and is not how a switch statement is intended to operate.