Why a static route on custom switches?

Question

Computer networks

Good afternoon. I am setting up a smart switch (TP-Link T1700X-16TS). There was such question, what for static routes and the routing table on a switch. The default was:
ip 192.168.0.1
routing:
dst - 0.0.0.0
mask - /24
next hop - 192.168.0.100
distance - 1 The
question is, what is next hop, and why is there no route (where the traffic will go)? And after deleting this route, I didn’t lose access, I also connect to it in LAN, why then a route at all, since it’s not a router?

Answer 1

This is the default gateway. To work in a deployed corporate network, for example, which clearly has more than one class C network. To get on the face from other subnets. To update the firmware. For NTP to work. For user authorization, if supported. For everything in general.

Answer 2

The so-called "gateway of last resort address".