Instruction: Describe the roles of the compile and link functions in the lifecycle of an AngularJS directive.
Context: This question probes the candidate's knowledge of AngularJS directives, focusing on two crucial functions that define and manipulate directive behavior.
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The compile function in AngularJS directives is called during the compilation phase, which occurs before the template is linked to the scope. Its primary role is to manipulate the DOM (Document Object Model) or modify the HTML elements before AngularJS compiles them. This function is executed only once, regardless of how many instances of the directive are created. It's particularly useful for template manipulation that's identical across all instances of the directive. For example, adding, removing, or modifying HTML attributes or elements at compile time falls under the compile function's responsibilities.
On the other hand, the link function is called during the linking phase,...