Connect Snowflake to GitHub Copilot CLI
Give GitHub Copilot CLI governed access to Snowflake’s 8 tools through Runlayer, with identity, policy, scanning, and audit on every call.
Set up
Add Snowflake to GitHub Copilot CLI in four steps
Admins approve the server once. Everyone in GitHub Copilot CLI then gets it through the same governed connection.
- 1
Approve Snowflake in Runlayer
Add Snowflake from the catalog and choose who can use it and which of its tools are allowed.
- 2
Connect GitHub Copilot CLI to Runlayer
Users add the Runlayer Plugin to GitHub Copilot CLI by following Runlayer’s setup guide. GitHub Copilot CLI reaches Snowflake’s 8 tools through the Runlayer Plugin’s search and execute tools instead of listing each one.
GitHub Copilot CLI setup guide - 3
Sign in to Snowflake
Each user signs in to Snowflake with OAuth. Runlayer keeps the tokens out of the client’s configuration.
- 4
Use Snowflake from GitHub Copilot CLI
Snowflake’s approved tools appear in GitHub Copilot CLI. Every call is checked against policy and recorded.
Tools
8 Snowflake tools in GitHub Copilot CLI
Runlayer policy decides which of these GitHub Copilot CLI users can call.
Describe semantic view
Describe a semantic view.
Get semantic view ddl
Get the DDL for a semantic view.
List semantic views
List all semantic views in the account, database, or schema.
Query semantic view
Writes and runs a statement to query a semantic view using DIMENSIONS, METRICS, and/or FACTS.
Run Snowflake query
Run a SQL query in Snowflake.
Show semantic dimensions
Show all semantic dimensions in the account, database, or schema.
Show semantic metrics
Show all semantic metrics in the account, database, or schema.
Write semantic view query tool
Writes a query statement to query a semantic view using DIMENSIONS, METRICS, and/or FACTS.
Control
What Runlayer can see and stop in GitHub Copilot CLI
Some controls apply to every client at the gateway. Others depend on what GitHub Copilot CLI exposes to Runlayer.
Gateway policy (available)
Every Snowflake call from GitHub Copilot CLI passes through Runlayer, where your policies can allow, alert, mask, or block it.
Audit trail (available)
Each call is recorded with the user, GitHub Copilot CLI as the client, the tool, and the policy and scanner decisions.
Client hooks (available)
Capture supported prompts, reasoning, local and MCP tool calls, responses, and scanner decisions in real time.
Stop a call before it runs (available)
Runlayer can deny a tool call or permission request before GitHub Copilot CLI runs it.
Block output after it runs (available)
Runlayer can block a tool’s output before GitHub Copilot CLI’s model sees it.
Redact output in place (available)
Runlayer can mask sensitive parts of a successful tool’s output in GitHub Copilot CLI and pass the rest through.
In GitHub Copilot CLI
- When a tool fails, Runlayer records the error but cannot replace it.
Frequently asked questions
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