Extending Snowflake with Functions and ProceduresΒΆ

You can extend the SQL you use in Snowflake by writing user-defined functions (UDFs) and stored procedures that you can call from SQL. When you write a UDF or procedure, you write its logic in one of the supported handler languages, then create it using SQL.

With a UDF, you calculate and return a value. With a stored procedure, you generally perform one or more operations by executing statements in SQL or another supported language.

You can also write an external function whose logic executes on a system external to Snowflake, such as a cloud provider.

Choosing whether to write a stored procedure or a user-defined function

Choose between writing a stored procedure and writing a user-defined function.

Design Guidelines and Constraints for Functions and Procedures

Read more about the guidelines that functions and procedures share, including guidelines related to deployment options, security practices, platform constraints, and conventions.

Packaging Handler Code

Use tools to package handler code and ensure that dependencies are available on Snowflake.

Stored procedures overview

Learn the benefits and supported languages.

User-defined functions overview

Learn the types of UDFs and supported languages.

Logging, tracing, and metrics

Record handler code activity by capturing log messages and trace events, storing the data in a database you can query later.

External network access overview

Create secure access to specific network locations external to Snowflake, then use that access from within the handler code.

Introduction to external functions

Access custom code that runs outside of Snowflake, such as API services that provide geocoding and machine learning models.