What is the key difference between INFILE and FILE statements in SAS?

The key difference between the INFILE and FILE statements in SAS lies in their primary functions regarding data handling. The INFILE statement is specifically designed to read data into SAS from external files. It is used to specify the location of the input data file and allows for various options to control how the data is read, including handling delimiters, specifying data types, and managing data formats.

In contrast, the FILE statement is used for outputting data from SAS to an external file. It defines the destination and format for the output data created by DATA steps or procedures. With the FILE statement, you can specify options for formatting the output, such as specifying whether to write to a text file, a CSV file, or a different format.

This fundamental distinction highlights that the INFILE statement focuses on the input process, facilitating the import of data into the SAS environment, whereas the FILE statement is concerned with the output, managing how SAS data is written to external files.