What is the purpose of external functions in Snowflake?

• A. Call executable code developed, maintained, stored, and executed outside Snowflake.
• B. Download executable code maintained outside Snowflake.
• C. Connect to a repository of functions outside Snowflake.
• D. Execute code only within Snowflake's virtual environment.

Answer: (A)

External functions let Snowflake reach out to and execute code that lives outside Snowflake. They are designed to invoke executable code hosted externally—such as a cloud function or a REST service—that is developed, maintained, stored, and run outside Snowflake. Snowflake passes input data to that external endpoint, the external code runs externally, and the results are returned back into Snowflake for use in your queries. This approach enables you to incorporate custom logic or data from external systems without moving or duplicating code inside Snowflake. It’s not about downloading code into Snowflake, nor about simply connecting to a repository of functions, and it doesn’t imply executing all code strictly within Snowflake’s own environment.