What is the purpose of the 'display' property in CSS?

The 'display' property in CSS is crucial because it defines how elements are rendered on the page, determining their layout and visibility. It establishes whether an element is displayed as a block-level element, an inline element, or any of the other available display types such as 'flex', 'grid', or 'none'. This property directly influences how elements interact with one another in the layout and how they occupy space in the document.

For instance, a block-level element will start on a new line and take up the full width available, while an inline element will only take up as much width as necessary and will allow other elements to sit alongside it. Understanding the 'display' property is fundamental for effective layout control in web design, allowing developers to create structured and visually appealing web pages.