Semi-structured data like JSON stored in a VARIANT column can be queried directly usingpath notation, either dot notation or bracket notation.

Examples:

Dot notation:SELECT data:customer.name FROM table;

Bracket notation:SELECT data['customer']['name'] FROM table;

Snowflake automatically interprets the JSON structure, making relational extraction unnecessary. Complex fields can be accessed through functions such as FLATTEN, OBJECT_KEYS, ARRAY_SIZE, and TYPEOF.

Incorrect options:

Converting JSON to a relational table is optional, not required.

Stored procedures are not necessary for JSON querying.

WHERE on the full VARIANT cannot precisely extract fields.

Thus, path notation is the native, efficient method.

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