In programming, what is often called 'an instance of the class'?

In programming, particularly in object-oriented programming, an 'instance of the class' refers to an object. When a class is defined, it serves as a blueprint for creating objects. Each object is created from that class, embodying its properties and methods, which are defined within the class.

The term 'instance' signifies that the object is a specific realization of the class with its own unique set of data. For example, if you have a class called "Car," each car you create from that class (like a red Toyota or a blue Honda) is an instance of that class.

On the other hand, functions, methods, and properties serve different roles in programming. Functions are blocks of code meant to perform specific tasks, methods are functions that are associated with an object, and properties refer to attributes that characterize an object, but none of these represents the concept of creating a new instance from a class like an object does.