What is the purpose of the '/' operator in SAS DATA steps?

The purpose of the '/' operator in SAS DATA steps is to tell SAS to go to the next line when writing to the output data set. This operator is used specifically in the context of the PUT statement to control the output format when writing data to the SAS log or to external files. By using the '/' operator, you can create more readable output by starting a new line, effectively formatting the content as needed.

In SAS coding, maintaining clarity and organization in output is important, and using the '/' operator helps achieve that by preventing data from being written on the same line, enhancing overall presentation.