Difference between apply(), lapply(), and sapply() in R

apply(): The apply() function in R is used to apply a function to the rows or columns of a matrix or array. It is a high-level function that can be used with matrices, arrays, and data frames.

lapply(): The lapply() function in R is used to apply a function to each element of a list or a vector. It returns a list as output where each element of the list corresponds to the result of applying the function to the corresponding element of the input list or vector.

sapply(): The sapply() function in R is a simplified version of lapply() that simplifies the output by returning a vector or array instead of a list. It is useful when you want a simplified output format.

Overall, the main difference between apply(), lapply(), and sapply() lies in their input and output formats, with apply() working on matrices and arrays, lapply() on lists and vectors, and sapply() providing simplified output compared to lapply().