initMocks

initMocks is a method commonly found in unit testing frameworks, particularly those related to the Java ecosystem like Mockito. Its primary purpose is to initialize mock objects within a test class. When a test class uses annotations like `@Mock` to declare mock objects, initMocks is responsible for creating and injecting these mock objects before the test method is executed.

This initialization process ensures that any fields annotated as mocks are properly instantiated and ready for use in the test. Without initMocks, these fields would remain null, leading to NullPointerException errors when the test attempts to interact with them. The method typically scans the current test instance for mock annotations and then sets up the corresponding mock objects.

In Mockito, initMocks is often called from a `@Before` method in JUnit or a similar setup method in other testing frameworks. This ensures that a fresh set of mock objects is available for each test method, promoting test isolation and preventing unintended state leakage between tests. The use of initMocks simplifies the setup of mock-based tests by automating the creation and assignment of mock dependencies.