An application that uses MySQL Connector/C++ can be either statically or dynamically linked to the MySQL Connector/C++ libraries. MySQL Connector/C++ is usually statically linked to the underlying MySQL Client Library (or Connector/C). Note, that unless otherwise stated, reference to the MySQL Client Library is also taken to include Connector/C, which is a separately packaged, stand alone version of the MySQL Client Library. From MySQL Connector/C++ version 1.1.0 it is possible to also dynamically link to the underlying MySQL Client Library. The ability of MySQL Connector/C++ to dynamically link to MySQL Client Library is not enabled by default, and enabling this feature is done through a compile time option, when compiling the MySQL Connector/C++ source code.

To use the ablity to dynamically link the client library to MySQL Connector/C++ the MYSQLCLIENT_STATIC_BINDING:BOOL needs to be defined when building the MySQL Connector/C++ source code:

rm CMakeCache.txt
cmake -DMYSQLCLIENT_STATIC_BINDING:BOOL=1 .
make clean
make
make install

Note that pre-compiled binaries of MySQL Connector/C++ use static binding with the client library by default.

Now, in your application, when creating a connection, MySQL Connector/C++ will select and load a client library at runtime. It will choose the client library by searching defined locations and environment variables depending on the host operating system. It also possible when creating a connection in an application to define an absolute path to the client library to be loaded at runtime. This can be convenient if you have defined a standard location from which you want the client library to be loaded. This is sometimes done to circumvent possible conflicts with other versions of the client library that may be located on the system.