SnowPro Associate: Platform Question 264
Single answer● View the table definitionA data engineer needs to verify the exact column names, data types, and nullability of the SALES.PUBLIC.ORDERS table before loading a new batch of files. She wants to inspect the table definition directly from Snowflake using SQL. Which command should she use?
- A
DESCRIBE TABLE SALES.PUBLIC.ORDERS;
- B
SHOW TABLES LIKE 'ORDERS' IN SCHEMA SALES.PUBLIC;
- C
LIST @SALES.PUBLIC.ORDERS;
- D
GET_DDL('VIEW', 'SALES.PUBLIC.ORDERS');
Show answer and explanation
Correct answer: A
Explanation
To view a table definition in Snowflake, DESCRIBE TABLE is the standard command for quickly inspecting the schema of an existing table. It is commonly used to review columns, data types, nullability, and defaults before performing loads or schema validation. SHOW TABLES helps identify table objects but not their detailed structure. LIST is for stages, not tables. GET_DDL can also be useful for reconstructing object definitions, but the object type must be specified correctly, for example GET_DDL('TABLE', 'SALES.PUBLIC.ORDERS'). Snowflake documentation covers both DESCRIBE TABLE and GET_DDL as valid ways to inspect table metadata, with DESCRIBE TABLE being the most direct for column-level review.
- A. Correct.
Correct. DESCRIBE TABLE returns the table definition details, including column names, data types, nullability, default values, and other metadata. This is the most direct SQL command for viewing a table's structure when validating a schema before loading data.
- B. Incorrect.
Incorrect. SHOW TABLES lists table objects and their metadata, such as creation time and kind, but it does not display the full column-by-column table definition. A user might choose this because it helps confirm the table exists, but it does not provide the schema details needed.
- C. Incorrect.
Incorrect. LIST is used to view files in an internal or external stage, not to inspect database object definitions. This distractor reflects a common confusion between staged data files and database tables.
- D. Incorrect.
Incorrect. GET_DDL can return the DDL statement for supported object types, but this option specifies VIEW instead of TABLE, so it would not be appropriate for SALES.PUBLIC.ORDERS if ORDERS is a table. A candidate might select this because GET_DDL is used for object definitions, but the object type must match.