Flashcards · Data & Analytics

SnowPro Core Flashcards

intermediate 45 cards

Free flashcards for SnowPro Core: flip each card to reveal the definition. Built from the glossary as a study aid, these are concept checks, not real exam questions.

By The Exam Atlas Editorial Team · Verified 2026-06-06

All 45 terms

Snowflake AI Data Cloud
Snowflake's cloud platform for data storage, processing and sharing across clouds.
Multi-cluster shared-data architecture
The design that separates storage, compute and cloud services into independent layers.
Storage layer
Where table data is held as compressed, columnar micro-partitions in cloud storage.
Compute layer
The virtual warehouses that run queries and data loads.
Cloud services layer
The brain that handles authentication, metadata, query optimisation and security.
Virtual warehouse
An independent compute cluster that runs queries and loads, billed in credits while running.
Scaling up
Increasing a warehouse size (e.g. XS to L) for more power on a single, larger query.
Scaling out
Adding clusters (multi-cluster warehouse) to handle more concurrent queries.
Credit
The unit Snowflake uses to bill compute; a running warehouse consumes credits by size and time.
Micro-partition
A small, immutable columnar storage unit Snowflake creates automatically for table data.
Pruning
Skipping micro-partitions that cannot match a query, using their metadata, to speed it up.
Clustering key
A chosen column set that co-locates related rows so pruning is more effective on large tables.
Results cache
Returns identical query results without recompute, for 24 hours, using no warehouse.
Warehouse cache
Local cached data on a running warehouse that speeds up repeated queries.
Metadata cache
Statistics in the services layer that answer some queries without scanning data.
Stage
A location for data files; internal (in Snowflake) or external (e.g. an S3 bucket).
COPY INTO
The command that bulk-loads files from a stage into a table, or unloads data out.
Snowpipe
Continuous, automated loading of files as they arrive, rather than in scheduled batches.
File format
A named set of options (e.g. CSV, JSON) describing how files in a stage are parsed.
Unloading
Exporting data from Snowflake to files in a stage with COPY INTO.
VARIANT
A data type that stores semi-structured data such as JSON within a column.
Semi-structured data
Flexible data (JSON, Avro, Parquet) with no fixed table schema, queryable in Snowflake.
FLATTEN
A function that expands nested arrays or objects into separate rows.
View
A saved query that presents data as a virtual table.
Secure view
A view that hides its definition and underlying detail, used for sharing sensitive data.
Materialized view
A precomputed, automatically maintained result set for faster repeated queries.
User-defined function (UDF)
A custom function (SQL, JavaScript, Python and more) that returns a value.
Stored procedure
Procedural code that runs operations and logic on the server side.
Sequence
An object that generates unique, increasing numbers, often for surrogate keys.
Role
A container of privileges; RBAC grants privileges to roles, and roles to users.
Role-based access control (RBAC)
Snowflake's security model: privileges flow through a hierarchy of roles.
Privilege
A specific permission (e.g. SELECT, INSERT) granted on an object to a role.
System-defined role
A built-in role such as ACCOUNTADMIN, SYSADMIN, SECURITYADMIN or PUBLIC.
Network policy
A rule that allows or blocks account access by IP address range.
Dynamic data masking
A column-level policy that masks sensitive values based on the querying role.
Time Travel
Querying or restoring data as it was within a retention window you can configure.
Fail-safe
A separate, Snowflake-managed 7-day recovery period after Time Travel ends.
Zero-copy clone
An instant copy of a table, schema or database that shares storage until data changes.
Continuous Data Protection (CDP)
The umbrella for Time Travel, Fail-safe and cloning that guards data automatically.
Secure data sharing
Giving another account live, read-only access to objects with no data copied.
Share
The object that defines what is shared and with which accounts.
Reader account
A Snowflake-managed account a provider creates so a non-customer can read shared data.
Snowflake Marketplace
A catalogue where providers publish data and services for others to access via sharing.
Edition
A Snowflake service tier (e.g. Standard, Enterprise) with different features and limits.
Pearson VUE
The testing provider that delivers the SnowPro Core exam, online or at a test centre.