What is the purpose of a validation message in a form?

A validation message in a form serves to provide immediate feedback to users about their input, particularly in the context of form fields that require specific information. When a user submits a form and certain required fields are left blank or filled out incorrectly, the validation message plays a crucial role in indicating these issues.

By highlighting that a specific field is mandatory and has not been completed, it helps guide users to correct their input before they can successfully submit the form. This instant feedback is essential to improve user experience and ensure that the data collected through the form meets the necessary criteria for accurate processing.

The other options, while related to user interaction with forms, do not capture the primary function of a validation message. Displaying the user's current input serves more of an informational purpose. Confirming successful submission relates more to acknowledgment after the form is completed. Suggesting improvements for the form design is outside the scope of what validation messages are intended to do, as they focus specifically on user input errors.