# Application Development with MariaDB Connector/C++
MariaDB Connector/C++ enables C++ applications to establish client connections to MariaDB database products over TLS.
## Build Your Application with Connector/C++
When you build a C++ application, your compiler must link your application with the MariaDB Connector/C++ shared library.
The following g++ ([GNU GCC](https://gcc.gnu.org/)) command demonstrates how to link an application with the MariaDB Connector/C++ shared library using the -lmariadbcpp argument:
```bash
$ g++ -o example example.cpp -std=c++11 -lmariadbcpp
```
If you are not using the g++ compiler, please consult your compiler's manual.
## Header Files
MariaDB Connector/C++ includes several header files. In some cases, developers might find it useful to inspect the MariaDB Connector/C++ header files to view the definitions of classes, functions, and methods.
The header files:
* Contain the definitions of classes, functions, and methods in the `sql` namespace.
* Are installed to the `/usr/include/mariadb/conncpp/` directory by default on Linux.
C++ applications developed using MariaDB Connector/C++ must include the `conncpp.hpp` header file.
When a C++ application includes `conncpp.hpp`, the application will automatically include other header files that are included by `conncpp.hpp`:
* `CallableStatement.hpp`
* `Connection.hpp`
* `DatabaseMetaData.hpp`
* `Driver.hpp`
* `DriverManager.hpp`
* `Exception.hpp`
* `jdbccompat.hpp`
* `ParameterMetaData.hpp`
* `PreparedStatement.hpp`
* `ResultSet.hpp`
* `ResultSetMetaData.hpp`
* `Savepoint.hpp`
* `SQLString.hpp`
* `Statement.hpp`
* `Types.hpp`
* `Warning.hpp`
## Classes
MariaDB Connector/C++ implements many different classes.
Most C++ applications developed using MariaDB Connector/C++ will use some of the following classes:
| Class | Description |
| ---------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |
| sql::Connection | Establish a connection to a MariaDB database product. A Connection can be closed by calling close(), or there is an implicit close when using a smart pointer. |
| sql::DatabaseMetaData | Provides detailed information about the database metadata, such as database name, version, schemas, tables, columns, procedures, and support for various features. |
| sql::Driver | Implements the non-static connect() method, which is a [connection method](/docs/connectors/mariadb-connector-cpp/connect-with-mariadb-connectorcpp.md). |
| sql::DriverManager | Implements the static getConnection() method, which is a [connection method](/docs/connectors/mariadb-connector-cpp/connect-with-mariadb-connectorcpp.md). |
| sql::PreparedStatement | Execute a query that contains variable text. Prepared statements can be used to sanitize input. Therefore, using prepared statements reduces the risk of SQL injection attacks. A PreparedStatement can be closed by calling close(), or there is an implicit close when using a smart pointer. By default, the connector will use client-side prepared statements. To use server-side prepared statements, set the useServerPrepStmts [optional connection parameter](/docs/connectors/mariadb-connector-cpp/connect-with-mariadb-connectorcpp.md) to true. |
| sql::ResultSet | Fetch query results. A ResultSet can be closed by calling close(), or there is an implicit close when using a smart pointer. |
| sql::ResultSetMetaData | Provides detailed information about a result set, such as schema name, table name, column names and types, and column attributes; whether a column is auto increment, and nullable. |
| sql::Statement | Execute a query that does not contain variable text. A Statement can be closed by calling close(), or there is an implicit close when using a smart pointer. |
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