Snowflake SnowPro Certification Practice Test

What does the term 'pruning' refer to in the context of Snowflake?

1. A process to enhance data loading speed

2. A method used to limit the number of micro-partitions

3. A technique to optimize data storage

4. A function that merges data partitions

The correct answer is: A method used to limit the number of micro-partitions

Pruning in the context of Snowflake specifically refers to a process that allows the query engine to optimize performance by minimizing the amount of data that needs to be scanned during a query. When you query a table, Snowflake automatically analyzes the metadata of micro-partitions, which are small segments of data that form a larger table. Each micro-partition contains information about the data it holds, including min and max values of the columns. By leveraging this metadata, Snowflake can determine which micro-partitions contain relevant data for a specific query. The pruning process effectively "skips" over micro-partitions that do not need to be accessed based on the filter conditions applied in the query. This makes data retrieval more efficient and speeds up query execution times. While enhancing data loading speed, optimizing data storage, and merging partitions are all important aspects of data management, they do not encapsulate the specific definition of pruning as it pertains to the selective scanning of data partitions based on query context. Pruning plays a crucial role in maintaining high-performance query executions within Snowflake’s architecture.