---
title: "C/C++"
description: "DuckDB provides a C/C++ API, allowing developers to embed the database directly into C and C++ applications."
canonical: "https://motherduck.com/glossary/c-cpp/"
related:
  - title: "Why Use DuckDB for Analytics?"
    url: "https://motherduck.com/blog/six-reasons-duckdb-slaps/"
  - title: "C | MotherDuck Docs"
    url: "https://motherduck.com/docs/getting-started/interfaces/client-apis/other/c/"
  - title: "Cursor + MotherDuck Integration | DuckDB Analytics"
    url: "https://motherduck.com/ecosystem/cursor/"
gated_asset:
  title: "DuckLake on MotherDuck"
  url: "https://motherduck.com/product/ducklake/"
---

# C/C++

> DuckDB provides a C/C++ API, allowing developers to embed the database directly into C and C++ applications.

[DuckDB](https://duckdb.org/) provides a C/C++ API, allowing developers to embed the database directly into C and C++ applications. This integration enables high-performance data processing and analytics capabilities within native applications. The C API follows a design similar to SQLite, making it familiar for developers experienced with that system. For C++ users, DuckDB offers a more idiomatic interface, leveraging modern C++ features. By using the C/C++ API, developers can execute SQL queries, manage transactions, and interact with DuckDB's in-memory or persistent storage directly from their C or C++ codebase. This low-level access is particularly useful for applications requiring tight integration with the database engine or those aiming to minimize overhead in data-intensive operations.