Which is the fastest approach to identify data files to load from a stage?

• A. Providing a discrete list of files
• B. Pattern matching using a regular expression
• C. Letting Snowflake auto-detect
• D. Using a wildcard

Answer: (D)

Using a wildcard lets you capture all the relevant files with a simple pattern in one statement, so Snowflake can identify and load them in parallel. This approach avoids manually listing every file and scales well as new files arrive, making the load operation faster and easier to manage.

Providing a discrete list is precise but not scalable; you’d have to update the list whenever new files appear. Letting Snowflake auto-detect leaves too much to the system’s discretion and can load files you didn’t intend. Pattern matching with a regular expression is flexible, but it adds complexity and processing overhead per file compared with a straightforward wildcard pattern.