initialize vs instantiate
Initialize is about setting a starting value. Instantiate is about creating an object from a class. In practice: you instantiate a class and that often initializes its properties at the same time — but you can initialize a variable without instantiating anything, and you cannot instantiate a primitive. In code reviews and standups, use "instantiate" only when talking about class instances.
initialize
To set a variable, object, or system to its starting value before it is used. You can initialize a primitive, an array, or even a whole subsystem. It is about giving something its initial state, not about creating it from a blueprint.
"let count = 0; // initialize count to zero before the loop starts"
instantiate
To create a new instance of a class — that is, to call the constructor and produce an object in memory. You instantiate a class; you initialize a variable. The two often happen together, but they are different operations.
"const db = new DatabaseConnection(config); // instantiate a DatabaseConnection object"
Interview tip
If an interviewer asks you to "initialize the cache", they want you to set it to its empty or default state. If they ask you to "instantiate the cache client", they want you to create a new object from the cache client class. Getting this right signals you understand OOP precisely.
Other comparisons
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