SPSS places constraints on internal file structure, data types, data processing and matching files, which together considerably simplify programming. From version 14 onwards SPSS can be driven externally by a Python or a VB.NET program using supplied 'plug-ins'. The Python programmability extension, introduced in SPSS 14, replaced the less functional SAX Basic 'scripts' for most purposes, although SaxBasic remains available. Additionally a 'macro' language can be used to write command language subroutines and a Python programmability extension can access the information in the data dictionary and data and dynamically build command syntax programs. Programs can be run interactively, or unattended using the supplied Production Job Facility. The pull-down menu interface also generates command syntax, though, by default, this is invisible to the user. Command syntax programming has the benefits of reproducibility and handling complex data manipulations and analyses. The many features of SPSS are accessible via pull-down menus (see image) or can be programmed with a proprietary 4GL command syntax language. In addition to statistical analysis, data management (case selection, file reshaping, creating derived data) and data documentation (a metadata dictionary is stored with the data) are features of the base software. It is used by market researchers, health researchers, survey companies, government, education researchers, and others.

SPSS (originally, Statistical Package for the Social Sciences) was released in its first version in 1968, and is among the most widely used programs for statistical analysis in social science.

Spss statistics program