Where is the code for external functions executed?

• A. Inside Snowflake
• B. In the client application
• C. Outside Snowflake (Remote Service)
• D. In a stored procedure

Answer: (C)

External functions run the actual logic outside Snowflake. When you define such a function, Snowflake calls a remote endpoint where the function’s code is hosted (for example, an AWS Lambda function or another web service). Snowflake simply passes the input, the remote service processes it, and returns the result back to Snowflake. So the execution happens in the remote service, not inside Snowflake or in the client application. A stored procedure can orchestrate the call from Snowflake, but the external function’s code itself runs remotely.