Describe the difference between the RETAIN statement and the KEEP statement in SAS.

Understanding the Difference: RETAIN Statement vs. KEEP Statement in SAS

When working with SAS programming, it's crucial to grasp the distinction between the RETAIN statement and the KEEP statement.

Focus Keyword: RETAIN Statement vs. KEEP Statement in SAS

The RETAIN statement in SAS is used to retain the value of a variable from one iteration of the data step to the next. This means that the variable's value is "retained" and carried over to the next iteration without being reset to missing. The RETAIN statement is often utilized in scenarios where you want to persist the value of a variable throughout the data step.

On the other hand, the KEEP statement in SAS is used to specify which variables from the input dataset should be retained in the output dataset. The KEEP statement filters out variables that are not explicitly listed, effectively selecting only the specified variables to be retained in the new dataset.

In summary, while the RETAIN statement focuses on preserving variable values across iterations within a data step, the KEEP statement is used for selecting and retaining specific variables when creating a new dataset in SAS.