What is the purpose of 'whitespace' in programming?

Whitespace in programming serves primarily to enhance the readability of the code for the programmer. By incorporating spaces, tabs, and line breaks, developers can structure their code in a way that visually separates different elements, making it easier to understand the program's logic and flow. This is especially important in complex programs where clarity is essential for maintenance and collaboration among multiple developers.

Using whitespace judiciously can help in emphasizing different sections of code like functions, loops, and conditional statements, allowing programmers to grasp the overall functionality at a glance. While some programming languages do treat whitespace with significance (such as Python, where indentation is used to define code blocks), in many languages, it is used primarily as a tool for organization and clarity, rather than affecting the execution of the code itself.