Plain-English definitions of the core Snowflake terms for SnowPro Core (COF-C03) study. Simplified for learning; the Snowflake documentation is authoritative.
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| 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. |