Snowflake’s web UI and client tools need only a modern OS, browser, and outbound HTTPS connectivity; no local servers are required.
Snowflake is fully SaaS, so you only need a supported operating system, modern web browser, and outbound TCP 443 access to *.snowflakecomputing.com. Optional client drivers require minimal CPU and ≤500 MB disk.
Snowflake’s Web UI, Snowsql, ODBC, JDBC, and native connectors run on Windows 10+/Server 2016+, macOS 12+, and Linux with kernel 4.0+ (x86-64 or ARM64).
Install the latest Visual C++ Redistributable when using ODBC/JDBC. Keep PowerShell ≥5.1 for script automation.
Homebrew simplifies installing Snowsql and drivers. Ensure Command Line Tools are present for compilation tasks.
glibc 2.17+, OpenSSL 1.1+, and libicu are required. Use package managers (apt, yum, zypper) for driver updates.
Latest stable versions of Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and Edge. Enable cookies and JavaScript. Disable aggressive ad-blockers that break Snowflake endpoints.
Snowflake endpoints sit behind HTTPS. Your firewall must allow outbound TCP 443 to your region-specific account URL (e.g., abc-xy123.snowflakecomputing.com). Enable SNI and TLS 1.2+.
After installing Snowsql, run snowsql -v
to check version. Then run the example query below; success confirms OS, network, and driver readiness.
Automate driver updates via CI scripts, pin minimal versions in requirements.txt
for Python connectors, and routinely test with SELECT CURRENT_VERSION()
.
Blocking port 443 or proxy SSL inspection causes handshake failures. Using end-of-life drivers leads to TLS mismatch errors.
No. All compute happens in the cloud. Any machine that runs a modern browser or command-line tool suffices.
Yes, as long as the proxy allows TLS 1.2+ and SNI. Configure HTTPS_PROXY
or driver-specific proxy fields.
Snowflake does not officially support mobile browsers for administration tasks. Use desktop browsers for full functionality.