If the same file format option is defined in multiple locations, what happens?

• A. They overwrite each other, with higher precedence overriding lower
• B. They are cumulative
• C. Snowflake ignores all but the first
• D. They cause an error

Answer: (A)

Snowflake resolves file format options using precedence. When the same option is defined in more than one place, the value from the most specific location takes effect, and lower-precedence definitions are ignored for that option. In practice, this means options defined inline in a COPY INTO statement override options defined in a named file format object, which in turn override broader defaults. This gives predictable control: you can override defaults only where you need to. For example, if skip_header is true in a file format object but you specify skip_header as false inline in COPY INTO, the inline value wins. Options aren’t additive and don’t cause errors; the highest-precedence value simply wins.