Which of the following best describes the purpose of a class in programming?

A class in programming serves as a blueprint for creating objects that encapsulate both data and functionalities. It defines a structure that specifies the attributes (often referred to as properties or fields) and the methods (functions or procedures) that the objects created from the class can have. This encapsulation allows for the organization of code and promotes reusability, as multiple objects can be created from the same class, each with their own state but sharing the same behavior as defined by the class’s methods.

The other options do not fully capture the essence of what a class does. While a class can indeed store data through its attributes, that is not its only function. Additionally, it does define methods, but this is part of a broader role of providing a full template for object creation, rather than just focusing on functions. Classifying it simply as an advanced data type misses the vital aspects of behavior and functionality that classes encapsulate, which are crucial for object-oriented programming.