App Context
App Context is the semantic model that lets the Intelligence tool understand an app's data output, so it can answer questions and write accurate SQL.
App Context is a document that describes an app's data output in plain language. It covers the app's tables, columns, metrics, relationships, and a set of verified queries. The Intelligence tool reads this context to understand what the data means, which is what keeps its answers and the SQL it generates accurate. Support for MCP is coming soon and will read the same context.
This is an admin feature. App Context is available to the Org Admin and Builder roles. Explorers and Subscribers do not see or edit it.
Where to find it
Today, App Context lives at the bottom of an app's listing:
Go to Org Settings, then Publishing, then Catalog.
Open the app and select Edit App Listing.
Scroll to the App Context section, below the Apps section. In the current interface this section is labeled "AI Context."
The editor has three controls:
Save commits your changes to the app record.
Export downloads a copy of the current context as a file, with a timestamp in the filename.
Fullscreen opens a larger editing view, which helps with long documents.
Save is separate from Publish Changes. Saving App Context does not create a new app version and does not require you to publish the listing.
This location is temporary. In the coming months, App Context will move into a dedicated Create area inside Insight Cloud. When it moves, it will leave the listing page, and editing will be limited to the Builder role. This article will be updated when that change ships.
What App Context contains
App Context is written as a semantic model. It typically includes:
A name and description for the app's data output.
Tables, with their dimensions, time dimensions, facts, and metrics.
Synonyms, which are alternative names that help Intelligence match everyday language to the data.
Relationships between tables.
Verified queries (see below).
The editor understands this structure and shows hover hints that explain each element, based on the Snowflake semantic view specification. For example, hovering over an element like "synonyms" explains that it holds alternative names for natural-language matching.
Verified queries
A verified query pairs a natural-language question with the SQL that answers it. Verified queries are one of the most valuable parts of App Context. They show Intelligence known-good ways to answer common questions, which guides the kinds of questions it can answer reliably. They can also support feeds and alerts that notify subscribers when something in the app's data changes.
Today, verified queries are built from the visuals in the app's Sigma workbook. The reasoning is that if a visual was worth building, the question behind it is worth answering, so each visual becomes a query.
Who maintains App Context
The person who built or modified the app is best placed to maintain its context, because they understand the data model behind it.
Update the context whenever the app's data output changes. When you add new columns or tables, reflect them in the context so Intelligence continues to return accurate answers.
How App Context is created today
The team generates App Context using a tool that reads several sources:
The app's data model.
Notes and documentation for the app.
The app's Sigma workbook.
The generated context is then pasted into the App Context editor.
What App Context does not do yet
No version history. There is one live context per app listing.
No draft or sandbox mode. Save is live.
One context per listing. It applies to every spec under that listing. Per-spec context is a future iteration.
FAQ
What is a semantic model? A plain-language description of a dataset. It maps everyday words, synonyms, and relationships to the structured data, so tools like Intelligence can work with the data conversationally.
What is a verified query? A trusted question-and-SQL pair that shows Intelligence a known-good way to answer a common question about the app.
Do I need to publish the app after editing App Context? No. Save commits the change on its own. It does not create a new app version and is separate from Publish Changes.
Who can see and edit App Context? Today, Org Admins and Builders can access it on the Edit App Listing page. After it moves to the Creator area, access will be limited to the Builder role.
What format should App Context be in? The editor recognizes the structure and shows hover hints based on the Snowflake semantic view specification.
Is App Context the same as Seek Context in Seek Build Tools? No. Seek Context is a developer object used while an app runs. App Context is the semantic model that Intelligence reads to understand an app's data output.