Snowflake SnowPro Certification Practice Test

Which type of JSON is typically quicker to query in Snowflake?

1. Non-native JSON types

2. Regular JSON types

3. Both types have the same performance

4. None, they are all equally slow

The correct answer is: Regular JSON types

In Snowflake, regular JSON types are designed to work seamlessly with the platform's capabilities, leveraging native JSON functions and optimizing query performance. This native support allows for efficient parsing and utilization of JSON data structures within the database engine, making queries faster and more efficient. Regular JSON types are stored as VARIANT data types, which enable Snowflake to access and manipulate the JSON data flexibly without the need for extensive conversions. The optimized querying capabilities include direct access to nested fields, which minimizes the computational overhead typically associated with querying JSON structured data. Non-native JSON types, on the other hand, may not have the same level of integration with Snowflake's query engine, potentially leading to slower performance in queries. Since they require additional handling or parsing, they can introduce delays compared to regular JSON types that are directly suited for the platform's architecture. Both the equal performance option and the assertion of them being equally slow do not reflect the reality of how Snowflake processes JSON data; there is a distinct advantage to using regular JSON types for quicker querying.