createFileFormat

Last updated: January 27, 2026

Creates a new file format in Snowflake. File formats define how data files should be parsed when loading or unloading data.

Note: Automatic rollback drops the file format.

Available attributes

Attribute	Type	Description	Required
`catalogName`	String	Name of the catalog (database) where the file format will be created	No
`schemaName`	String	Name of the schema where the file format will be created	No
`fileFormatName`	String	Name of the file format to create	Yes
`fileFormatType`	String	Type: `CSV`, `JSON`, `AVRO`, `ORC`, `PARQUET`, `XML`, or `CUSTOM`	No
`comment`	String	Comment describing the file format	No
`replaceIfExists`	Boolean	Replace the file format if it already exists using `OR REPLACE`	No
`alterIfExists`	Boolean	Alter the file format if it already exists using `ALTER IF EXISTS`	No
`ifNotExists`	Boolean	Only create if the file format doesn't exist using `IF NOT EXISTS`*	No
`temporary`	Boolean	Create a temporary file format	No

* replaceIfExists, alterIfExists, and ifNotExists are mutually exclusive

formatTypeOptions attributes

Attribute	Type	Description	Required
`key`	String	Format-specific option name (e.g., `COMPRESSION`)	Yes
`value`	String	Option value	Yes

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<databaseChangeLog
        xmlns="http://www.liquibase.org/xml/ns/dbchangelog"
        xmlns:pro-snowflake="http://www.liquibase.org/xml/ns/pro-snowflake"
        xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance"
        xsi:schemaLocation="http://www.liquibase.org/xml/ns/dbchangelog
        http://www.liquibase.org/xml/ns/dbchangelog/dbchangelog-latest.xsd
        http://www.liquibase.org/xml/ns/pro-snowflake
        http://www.liquibase.org/xml/ns/pro-snowflake/liquibase-pro-snowflake-latest.xsd">

    <!-- Create CSV file format with options -->
    <changeSet id="create-file-format-csv" author="examples">
        <pro-snowflake:createFileFormat
                fileFormatName="CSV_FORMAT"
                fileFormatType="CSV"
                ifNotExists="true"
                comment="CSV file format for data imports">
            <pro-snowflake:formatTypeOptions>
                <pro-snowflake:entry key="COMPRESSION" value="ZSTD"/>
                <pro-snowflake:entry key="FIELD_DELIMITER" value=","/>
                <pro-snowflake:entry key="SKIP_HEADER" value="1"/>
            </pro-snowflake:formatTypeOptions>
        </pro-snowflake:createFileFormat>
    </changeSet>

    <!-- Create JSON file format -->
    <changeSet id="create-file-format-json" author="examples">
        <pro-snowflake:createFileFormat
                fileFormatName="JSON_FORMAT"
                fileFormatType="JSON"
                replaceIfExists="true"
                comment="JSON file format">
            <pro-snowflake:formatTypeOptions>
                <pro-snowflake:entry key="COMPRESSION" value="AUTO"/>
                <pro-snowflake:entry key="STRIP_OUTER_ARRAY" value="TRUE"/>
            </pro-snowflake:formatTypeOptions>
        </pro-snowflake:createFileFormat>
    </changeSet>

    <!-- Create temporary Parquet file format -->
    <changeSet id="create-file-format-parquet" author="examples">
        <pro-snowflake:createFileFormat
                fileFormatName="TEMP_PARQUET_FORMAT"
                fileFormatType="PARQUET"
                temporary="true"/>
    </changeSet>

    <!-- Create or alter file format -->
    <changeSet id="create-file-format-alter-if-exists" author="examples">
        <pro-snowflake:createFileFormat
                fileFormatName="AVRO_FORMAT"
                fileFormatType="AVRO"
                alterIfExists="true"
                comment="AVRO format - creates or alters if exists"/>
    </changeSet>

</databaseChangeLog>

{
  "databaseChangeLog": [
    {
      "changeSet": {
        "id": "create-file-format-csv",
        "author": "examples",
        "changes": [
          {
            "createFileFormat": {
              "fileFormatName": "CSV_FORMAT",
              "fileFormatType": "CSV",
              "ifNotExists": true,
              "comment": "CSV file format for data imports",
              "formatTypeOptions": {
                "entries": [
                  { "entry": { "key": "COMPRESSION", "value": "ZSTD" } },
                  { "entry": { "key": "FIELD_DELIMITER", "value": "," } },
                  { "entry": { "key": "SKIP_HEADER", "value": "1" } }
                ]
              }
            }
          }
        ]
      }
    },
    {
      "changeSet": {
        "id": "create-file-format-json",
        "author": "examples",
        "changes": [
          {
            "createFileFormat": {
              "fileFormatName": "JSON_FORMAT",
              "fileFormatType": "JSON",
              "replaceIfExists": true,
              "comment": "JSON file format",
              "formatTypeOptions": {
                "entries": [
                  { "entry": { "key": "COMPRESSION", "value": "AUTO" } },
                  { "entry": { "key": "STRIP_OUTER_ARRAY", "value": "TRUE" } }
                ]
              }
            }
          }
        ]
      }
    },
    {
      "changeSet": {
        "id": "create-file-format-parquet",
        "author": "examples",
        "changes": [
          {
            "createFileFormat": {
              "fileFormatName": "TEMP_PARQUET_FORMAT",
              "fileFormatType": "PARQUET",
              "temporary": true
            }
          }
        ]
      }
    },
    {
      "changeSet": {
        "id": "create-file-format-alter-if-exists",
        "author": "examples",
        "changes": [
          {
            "createFileFormat": {
              "fileFormatName": "AVRO_FORMAT",
              "fileFormatType": "AVRO",
              "alterIfExists": true,
              "comment": "AVRO format - creates or alters if exists"
            }
          }
        ]
      }
    }
  ]
}

databaseChangeLog:
  # Create CSV file format with options
  - changeSet:
      id: create-file-format-csv
      author: examples
      changes:
        - createFileFormat:
            fileFormatName: CSV_FORMAT
            fileFormatType: CSV
            ifNotExists: true
            comment: CSV file format for data imports
            formatTypeOptions:
              entries:
                - entry:
                    key: COMPRESSION
                    value: ZSTD
                - entry:
                    key: FIELD_DELIMITER
                    value: ","
                - entry:
                    key: SKIP_HEADER
                    value: "1"

  # Create JSON file format
  - changeSet:
      id: create-file-format-json
      author: examples
      changes:
        - createFileFormat:
            fileFormatName: JSON_FORMAT
            fileFormatType: JSON
            replaceIfExists: true
            comment: JSON file format
            formatTypeOptions:
              entries:
                - entry:
                    key: COMPRESSION
                    value: AUTO
                - entry:
                    key: STRIP_OUTER_ARRAY
                    value: "TRUE"

  # Create temporary Parquet file format
  - changeSet:
      id: create-file-format-parquet
      author: examples
      changes:
        - createFileFormat:
            fileFormatName: TEMP_PARQUET_FORMAT
            fileFormatType: PARQUET
            temporary: true

  # Create or alter file format
  - changeSet:
      id: create-file-format-alter-if-exists
      author: examples
      changes:
        - createFileFormat:
            fileFormatName: AVRO_FORMAT
            fileFormatType: AVRO
            alterIfExists: true
            comment: AVRO format - creates or alters if exists

--liquibase formatted sql

--changeset examples:create-csv-file-format-with-options
-- Create CSV file format with options
CREATE FILE FORMAT IF NOT EXISTS PUBLIC.CSV_FORMAT TYPE = CSV
    COMPRESSION = 'ZSTD'
    FIELD_DELIMITER = ','
    SKIP_HEADER = 1
    COMMENT = 'CSV file format for data imports';

--changeset examples:create-json-file-format-with-or-replace
-- Create JSON file format with OR REPLACE
CREATE OR REPLACE FILE FORMAT PUBLIC.JSON_FORMAT TYPE = JSON
    COMPRESSION = 'AUTO'
    STRIP_OUTER_ARRAY = TRUE
    COMMENT = 'JSON file format';

--changeset examples:create-temporary-parquet-file-format
-- Create temporary Parquet file format
CREATE TEMPORARY FILE FORMAT PUBLIC.TEMP_PARQUET_FORMAT TYPE = PARQUET;

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<databaseChangeLog
        xmlns="http://www.liquibase.org/xml/ns/dbchangelog"
        xmlns:pro-snowflake="http://www.liquibase.org/xml/ns/pro-snowflake"
        xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance"
        xsi:schemaLocation="http://www.liquibase.org/xml/ns/dbchangelog
        http://www.liquibase.org/xml/ns/dbchangelog/dbchangelog-latest.xsd
        http://www.liquibase.org/xml/ns/pro-snowflake
        http://www.liquibase.org/xml/ns/pro-snowflake/liquibase-pro-snowflake-latest.xsd">

    <!-- Create CSV file format with options -->
    <changeSet id="create-file-format-csv" author="examples">
        <pro-snowflake:createFileFormat
                fileFormatName="CSV_FORMAT"
                fileFormatType="CSV"
                ifNotExists="true"
                comment="CSV file format for data imports">
            <pro-snowflake:formatTypeOptions>
                <pro-snowflake:entry key="COMPRESSION" value="ZSTD"/>
                <pro-snowflake:entry key="FIELD_DELIMITER" value=","/>
                <pro-snowflake:entry key="SKIP_HEADER" value="1"/>
            </pro-snowflake:formatTypeOptions>
        </pro-snowflake:createFileFormat>
    </changeSet>

    <!-- Create JSON file format -->
    <changeSet id="create-file-format-json" author="examples">
        <pro-snowflake:createFileFormat
                fileFormatName="JSON_FORMAT"
                fileFormatType="JSON"
                replaceIfExists="true"
                comment="JSON file format">
            <pro-snowflake:formatTypeOptions>
                <pro-snowflake:entry key="COMPRESSION" value="AUTO"/>
                <pro-snowflake:entry key="STRIP_OUTER_ARRAY" value="TRUE"/>
            </pro-snowflake:formatTypeOptions>
        </pro-snowflake:createFileFormat>
    </changeSet>

    <!-- Create temporary Parquet file format -->
    <changeSet id="create-file-format-parquet" author="examples">
        <pro-snowflake:createFileFormat
                fileFormatName="TEMP_PARQUET_FORMAT"
                fileFormatType="PARQUET"
                temporary="true"/>
    </changeSet>

    <!-- Create or alter file format -->
    <changeSet id="create-file-format-alter-if-exists" author="examples">
        <pro-snowflake:createFileFormat
                fileFormatName="AVRO_FORMAT"
                fileFormatType="AVRO"
                alterIfExists="true"
                comment="AVRO format - creates or alters if exists"/>
    </changeSet>

</databaseChangeLog>

{
  "databaseChangeLog": [
    {
      "changeSet": {
        "id": "create-file-format-csv",
        "author": "examples",
        "changes": [
          {
            "createFileFormat": {
              "fileFormatName": "CSV_FORMAT",
              "fileFormatType": "CSV",
              "ifNotExists": true,
              "comment": "CSV file format for data imports",
              "formatTypeOptions": {
                "entries": [
                  { "entry": { "key": "COMPRESSION", "value": "ZSTD" } },
                  { "entry": { "key": "FIELD_DELIMITER", "value": "," } },
                  { "entry": { "key": "SKIP_HEADER", "value": "1" } }
                ]
              }
            }
          }
        ]
      }
    },
    {
      "changeSet": {
        "id": "create-file-format-json",
        "author": "examples",
        "changes": [
          {
            "createFileFormat": {
              "fileFormatName": "JSON_FORMAT",
              "fileFormatType": "JSON",
              "replaceIfExists": true,
              "comment": "JSON file format",
              "formatTypeOptions": {
                "entries": [
                  { "entry": { "key": "COMPRESSION", "value": "AUTO" } },
                  { "entry": { "key": "STRIP_OUTER_ARRAY", "value": "TRUE" } }
                ]
              }
            }
          }
        ]
      }
    },
    {
      "changeSet": {
        "id": "create-file-format-parquet",
        "author": "examples",
        "changes": [
          {
            "createFileFormat": {
              "fileFormatName": "TEMP_PARQUET_FORMAT",
              "fileFormatType": "PARQUET",
              "temporary": true
            }
          }
        ]
      }
    },
    {
      "changeSet": {
        "id": "create-file-format-alter-if-exists",
        "author": "examples",
        "changes": [
          {
            "createFileFormat": {
              "fileFormatName": "AVRO_FORMAT",
              "fileFormatType": "AVRO",
              "alterIfExists": true,
              "comment": "AVRO format - creates or alters if exists"
            }
          }
        ]
      }
    }
  ]
}

databaseChangeLog:
  # Create CSV file format with options
  - changeSet:
      id: create-file-format-csv
      author: examples
      changes:
        - createFileFormat:
            fileFormatName: CSV_FORMAT
            fileFormatType: CSV
            ifNotExists: true
            comment: CSV file format for data imports
            formatTypeOptions:
              entries:
                - entry:
                    key: COMPRESSION
                    value: ZSTD
                - entry:
                    key: FIELD_DELIMITER
                    value: ","
                - entry:
                    key: SKIP_HEADER
                    value: "1"

  # Create JSON file format
  - changeSet:
      id: create-file-format-json
      author: examples
      changes:
        - createFileFormat:
            fileFormatName: JSON_FORMAT
            fileFormatType: JSON
            replaceIfExists: true
            comment: JSON file format
            formatTypeOptions:
              entries:
                - entry:
                    key: COMPRESSION
                    value: AUTO
                - entry:
                    key: STRIP_OUTER_ARRAY
                    value: "TRUE"

  # Create temporary Parquet file format
  - changeSet:
      id: create-file-format-parquet
      author: examples
      changes:
        - createFileFormat:
            fileFormatName: TEMP_PARQUET_FORMAT
            fileFormatType: PARQUET
            temporary: true

  # Create or alter file format
  - changeSet:
      id: create-file-format-alter-if-exists
      author: examples
      changes:
        - createFileFormat:
            fileFormatName: AVRO_FORMAT
            fileFormatType: AVRO
            alterIfExists: true
            comment: AVRO format - creates or alters if exists

--liquibase formatted sql

--changeset examples:create-csv-file-format-with-options
-- Create CSV file format with options
CREATE FILE FORMAT IF NOT EXISTS PUBLIC.CSV_FORMAT TYPE = CSV
    COMPRESSION = 'ZSTD'
    FIELD_DELIMITER = ','
    SKIP_HEADER = 1
    COMMENT = 'CSV file format for data imports';

--changeset examples:create-json-file-format-with-or-replace
-- Create JSON file format with OR REPLACE
CREATE OR REPLACE FILE FORMAT PUBLIC.JSON_FORMAT TYPE = JSON
    COMPRESSION = 'AUTO'
    STRIP_OUTER_ARRAY = TRUE
    COMMENT = 'JSON file format';

--changeset examples:create-temporary-parquet-file-format
-- Create temporary Parquet file format
CREATE TEMPORARY FILE FORMAT PUBLIC.TEMP_PARQUET_FORMAT TYPE = PARQUET;

createFileFormat

Available attributes

formatTypeOptions attributes

XML

JSON

YAML

SQL

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