What are the different ways to share data on Snowflake?
Snowflake offers three different ways to share data:
- Listings: A listing is a data product that you can offer to one or more accounts. Listings can include additional metadata about the data, such as a description, usage statistics, and tags. You can also make listings public, so that they can be discovered and consumed by any Snowflake account.
- Direct shares: A direct share is a way to share specific database objects with another account in your region. Direct shares are not visible to other accounts, and they cannot be made public.
- Data exchanges: A data exchange is a way to share data with a group of accounts that you invite. Data exchanges can be used to share data with partners, customers, or internal teams.
In addition to these three methods, you can also share data with accounts that do not have Snowflake accounts by creating reader accounts. Reader accounts give users read-only access to shared data, without requiring them to become Snowflake customers.
Here is a table that summarizes the different ways to share data on Snowflake:
| Method | Description |
| Listings |
A data product that you can offer to one or more accounts.
|
| Direct shares |
A way to share specific database objects with another account in your region.
|
| Data exchanges |
A way to share data with a group of accounts that you invite.
|
| Reader accounts |
A way to share data with accounts that do not have Snowflake accounts.
|
The best way to share data on Snowflake will depend on your specific needs. If you need to share data with a large number of accounts, or if you need to make data public, then listings are a good option. If you need to share data with a specific account in your region, then direct shares are a good option. And if you need to share data with a group of accounts that you invite, then data exchanges are a good option.
No matter which method you choose, Snowflake's Secure Data Sharing ensures that your data is always protected.
