Snowflake SnowPro Certification Practice Test

Can Temporary Tables have the same names as other non-temp tables within a database/schema?

1. True

2. False

3. Only if the non-temp table is in another schema

4. Only if they are not in use

The correct answer is: False

Temporary tables in Snowflake operate within a specific session context, and they are designed to exist only during the lifetime of that session. When considering the naming conventions of temporary tables, it is crucial to understand that they can share the same name as non-temporary tables within the same database/schema without any conflict because Snowflake distinguishes between temporary and permanent objects. When a temporary table is created, it is scoped to the current session, whereas a non-temporary table does not have that same limitation. If both types of tables were to have the same name, the session would not encounter any ambiguity regarding which table to interact with, as the temporary table would take precedence for the session in which it was created. Therefore, it is indeed accurate to state that temporary tables can have the same names as non-temporary tables without causing any conflicts as long as they are not intended to be accessed simultaneously within the same session context. This understanding is vital for database design and application logic, allowing for flexibility in naming conventions and temporary data storage without running into issues over name conflicts.