What is the difference between a merge and a join in SAS programming?

Understanding the Difference Between Merge and Join in SAS Programming

When it comes to data manipulation in SAS programming, it is important to distinguish between a merge and a join. The primary difference lies in how the data sets are combined:

• Merge in SAS: The MERGE statement in SAS is used to horizontally combine datasets by appending observations from one dataset to another. It places observations side by side based on a common variable or key.
• Join in SAS: On the other hand, a JOIN operation in SAS is used to vertically combine datasets by combining observations that have matching values in a specified variable or key. There are different types of joins such as INNER JOIN, LEFT JOIN, RIGHT JOIN, and FULL JOIN, each serving a unique purpose in data merging.

It is essential to choose the appropriate method based on the specific requirements of your analysis. Understanding the distinction between merge and join operations will enable you to effectively manipulate and merge datasets in SAS programming.