Which description best captures the role of VALIDATION_MODE when using COPY INTO?

• A. It validates the data files but still loads them into the target table.
• B. It validates the data files and does not load them into the target table.
• C. It loads the data into a temporary table and validates the load afterward.
• D. It only validates schema compatibility without checking data.

Answer: (B)

Validation mode in COPY INTO is a dry-run of the load. It checks the source data files against the target table’s schema and the file format rules, reporting any data type mismatches, missing or extra columns, or row-level issues, but it does not insert any rows into the target table. This lets you verify that the data will load cleanly before actually performing the load. So the best description is that it validates the data files and does not load them into the target table. The other ideas imply loading or using a temporary staging step, which isn’t what validation mode does.