What is the purpose of using a for loop in Karel programming?

Using a for loop in Karel programming serves the purpose of repeating a set of commands a specific number of times. This is particularly useful when you want to automate repetitive tasks without having to write the same code multiple times.

For example, if you need Karel to move forward 5 times and perform a similar action each time, a for loop allows you to succinctly express this repetition. Instead of specifying each move individually, you can simply set the loop to repeat the commands inside it for the desired number of iterations. This not only makes your code shorter and cleaner but also enhances its readability and maintainability, as adjustments or changes can be easily made to the loop parameters rather than to multiple lines of code.

In contrast, a decision-making structure is handled through conditional statements, while defining new commands is achieved through function or method declarations. An infinite loop is a different concept altogether, typically resulting from a loop that does not have a proper terminating condition or uses variables without reaching a limit. Thus, the for loop's primary function is clearly focused on controlled repetition of commands.