Answer: Removing data files after loading

The correct answer is C because Snowflake's official documentation recommends removing data files after loading to ensure staged data is only loaded once. This prevents accidental reloading of the same files, which could lead to data duplication. Option A (Partitioning staged data files) is about data organization, not preventing duplicate loads. Option B (Loading only the most recently-staged data files) doesn't guarantee single loading as it could still reload files. Option D (Identifying and removing duplicates after each data load) is a reactive approach rather than a preventive measure and adds unnecessary processing overhead. The community discussion with 100% consensus on answer C and reference to Snowflake documentation confirms this is the optimal approach.

Author: LeetQuiz Editorial Team