diff --git a/.clang-format b/.clang-format
index f7cf3663..610dd364 100644
--- a/.clang-format
+++ b/.clang-format
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 ---
 Language:        Cpp
 BasedOnStyle:  Google
-ColumnLimit:     100
+ColumnLimit:     80
 IndentWidth:     4
 TabWidth:        4
diff --git a/.github/workflows/code-quality-check.yml b/.github/workflows/code-quality-check.yml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..9ff4db66
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.github/workflows/code-quality-check.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,141 @@
+name: Code Quality
+
+permissions:
+  contents: read
+  issues: write
+
+on:
+  pull_request:
+    types: [opened, edited, reopened, synchronize]
+    paths:
+      - '**.py'
+      - '**.cpp'
+      - '**.h'
+
+jobs:
+  lint:
+    name: Code Linting
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    steps:
+      - name: Checkout Code
+        uses: actions/checkout@v3
+
+      - name: Set up Python
+        uses: actions/setup-python@v4
+        with:
+          python-version: '3.11'
+
+      - name: Cache pip dependencies
+        uses: actions/cache@v3
+        with:
+          path: ~/.cache/pip
+          key: ${{ runner.os }}-pip-${{ hashFiles('**/requirements*.txt') }}
+          restore-keys: |
+            ${{ runner.os }}-pip-
+
+      - name: Install dependencies
+        run: |
+          python -m pip install --upgrade pip
+          pip install -e .
+          pip install pylint cpplint
+
+      - name: Run Python Linter
+        id: pylint
+        continue-on-error: true
+        run: |
+          echo "Running pylint (configuration from pyproject.toml)..."
+          python -m pylint --output-format=colorized mssql_python
+          echo "pylint_status=$?" >> $GITHUB_ENV
+
+      - name: Run C++ Linter
+        id: cpplint
+        continue-on-error: true
+        run: |
+          echo "Running cpplint with maximum 10 errors per file..."
+          
+          # Find C++ files excluding build directories
+          FILES=$(find mssql_python -name "*.cpp" -o -name "*.h" | grep -v "/build/")
+          if [ -z "$FILES" ]; then
+            echo "No C++ files found to check!"
+            echo "cpplint_status=0" >> $GITHUB_ENV
+            exit 0
+          fi
+          
+          echo "Found files to check:"
+          echo "$FILES"
+          
+          # Process each file individually with better error handling
+          MAX_ERRORS=10
+          FAILED_FILES=""
+          
+          for FILE in $FILES; do
+            echo "Checking $FILE..."
+            
+            # Run cpplint on a single file and capture output
+            OUTPUT=$(python -m cpplint --filter=-readability/todo --linelength=100 "$FILE" 2>&1 || true)
+            
+            # Display the output for this file
+            echo "$OUTPUT"
+            
+            # Extract error count more reliably
+            ERROR_COUNT=$(echo "$OUTPUT" | grep -o 'Total errors found: [0-9]*' | grep -o '[0-9]*' || echo "0")
+            
+            # If we couldn't extract a count, default to 0
+            if [ -z "$ERROR_COUNT" ]; then
+              ERROR_COUNT=0
+            fi
+            
+            echo "File $FILE has $ERROR_COUNT errors"
+            
+            # Check if over threshold
+            if [ "$ERROR_COUNT" -gt "$MAX_ERRORS" ]; then
+              FAILED_FILES="$FAILED_FILES\n- $FILE ($ERROR_COUNT errors)"
+            fi
+          done
+          
+          # Output results
+          if [ ! -z "$FAILED_FILES" ]; then
+            echo -e "\n⛔ The following files have more than $MAX_ERRORS errors:$FAILED_FILES"
+            echo "cpplint_status=1" >> $GITHUB_ENV
+          else
+            echo -e "\n✅ All files have $MAX_ERRORS or fewer errors."
+            echo "cpplint_status=0" >> $GITHUB_ENV
+          fi
+
+      - name: Determine overall status
+        run: |
+          if [[ "${{ env.pylint_status }}" != "0" || "${{ env.cpplint_status }}" != "0" ]]; then
+            echo "Linting checks failed!"
+            exit 1
+          else
+            echo "All linting checks passed!"
+          fi
+
+      - name: Comment on PR
+        if: github.event_name == 'pull_request'
+        uses: actions/github-script@v7
+        with:
+          github-token: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}
+          script: |
+            let comment = '## Code Quality Check Results\n\n';
+            
+            if ('${{ env.pylint_status }}' !== '0') {
+              comment += '⚠️ **Python linting failed** - Please check the [workflow logs](${{ github.server_url }}/${{ github.repository }}/actions/runs/${{ github.run_id }}) for details.\n\n';
+            } else {
+              comment += '✅ **Python linting passed**\n\n';
+            }
+            
+            if ('${{ env.cpplint_status }}' !== '0') {
+              comment += '⚠️ **C++ linting failed** - Some files exceed the maximum error threshold of 10.\n\n';
+            } else {
+              comment += '✅ **C++ linting passed**\n\n';
+            }
+            
+            comment += 'See [code quality guidelines](https://github.com/microsoft/mssql-python/blob/main/CONTRIBUTING.md) for more information.';
+            
+            github.rest.issues.createComment({
+              issue_number: context.issue.number,
+              owner: context.repo.owner,
+              repo: context.repo.repo,
+              body: comment
+            });
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/.pre-commit-config.yml b/.pre-commit-config.yml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..31c6a00a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.pre-commit-config.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,15 @@
+repos:
+-   repo: https://github.com/pre-commit/mirrors-pylint
+    rev: v3.0.0a5
+    hooks:
+    -   id: pylint
+
+-   repo: local
+    hooks:
+    -   id: cpplint
+        name: cpplint
+        entry: python -m cpplint
+        language: python
+        types: [c++]
+        args: [--filter=-readability/todo, --linelength=100]
+        exclude: ^.*build/.*$
diff --git a/DEVELOPER_LINTING_GUIDE.md b/DEVELOPER_LINTING_GUIDE.md
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..7359ae70
--- /dev/null
+++ b/DEVELOPER_LINTING_GUIDE.md
@@ -0,0 +1,293 @@
+# Developer Linting and Code Formatting Guide
+
+This guide helps contributors set up and use linting tools to maintain code quality standards in the mssql-python project.
+
+## Table of Contents
+
+- [Overview](#overview)
+- [Prerequisites](#prerequisites)
+- [Installation Instructions](#installation-instructions)
+  - [Windows](#windows)
+  - [macOS](#macos)
+  - [Linux](#linux)
+- [Python Code Formatting](#python-code-formatting)
+- [C++ Code Formatting](#c-code-formatting)
+- [Pre-commit Hooks](#pre-commit-hooks)
+
+## Overview
+
+The mssql-python project uses multiple linting and formatting tools to ensure code quality:
+
+- **Python**: `pylint` for linting (configured in `pyproject.toml`)
+- **C++**: `clang-format` for formatting, `cpplint` for linting (configured in `cpplint.cfg`)
+- **Pre-commit hooks**: Already configured in `.pre-commit-config.yml`
+
+## Prerequisites
+
+Before setting up linting tools, ensure you have:
+
+- Python 3.8+ installed
+- Git installed and configured
+- A working development environment for the project
+
+## Quick Start (TL;DR)
+
+**For new contributors, this is all you need:**
+
+1. **Install dependencies:**
+   ```bash
+   pip install -r requirements.txt
+   ```
+
+2. **Set up pre-commit hooks:**
+   ```bash
+   pre-commit install
+   ```
+
+3. **Install clang-format** (see OS-specific instructions below)
+
+4. **Verify setup:**
+   ```bash
+   pre-commit run --all-files
+   ```
+
+Now your code will be automatically checked before each commit!
+
+## Installation Instructions
+
+### Windows
+
+#### Using PowerShell (Administrator recommended for some installations)
+
+1. **Install Python linting tools:**
+   ```powershell
+   pip install -r requirements.txt
+   ```
+
+2. **Install clang-format:**
+   
+   **Option A: Using Chocolatey (Recommended)**
+   ```powershell
+   # Install Chocolatey first if not installed
+   Set-ExecutionPolicy Bypass -Scope Process -Force; [System.Net.ServicePointManager]::SecurityProtocol = [System.Net.ServicePointManager]::SecurityProtocol -bor 3072; iex ((New-Object System.Net.WebClient).DownloadString('https://community.chocolatey.org/install.ps1'))
+   
+   # Install LLVM (includes clang-format)
+   choco install llvm
+   ```
+   
+   **Option B: Using winget**
+   ```powershell
+   winget install LLVM.LLVM
+   ```
+   
+
+3. **Verify installations:**
+   ```powershell
+   python --version
+   pylint --version
+   clang-format --version
+   cpplint --help
+   ```
+
+### macOS
+
+1. **Install Python linting tools:**
+   ```bash
+   pip install -r requirements.txt
+   ```
+
+2. **Install clang-format:**
+   ```bash
+   # Using Homebrew (recommended)
+   brew install clang-format
+   
+   # Alternative: Install full LLVM suite
+   brew install llvm
+   ```
+
+3. **Verify installations:**
+   ```bash
+   python --version
+   pylint --version
+   clang-format --version
+   cpplint --help
+   ```
+
+### Linux
+
+#### Ubuntu/Debian
+
+1. **Install system dependencies:**
+   ```bash
+   sudo apt update
+   sudo apt install clang-format python3-pip
+   ```
+
+2. **Install Python linting tools:**
+   ```bash
+   pip install -r requirements.txt
+   ```
+
+#### Red Hat/CentOS/Fedora
+
+1. **Install system dependencies:**
+   ```bash
+   # For RHEL/CentOS 8+
+   sudo dnf install clang-tools-extra python3-pip
+   
+   # For older versions
+   sudo yum install clang python3-pip
+   ```
+
+2. **Install Python linting tools:**
+   ```bash
+   pip install -r requirements.txt
+   ```
+
+## Python Code Formatting
+
+### Using Pylint
+
+The project uses pylint for Python code quality checks with custom configuration in `pyproject.toml`.
+
+**Check a single file:**
+```bash
+pylint mssql_python/connection.py
+```
+
+**Check all Python files:**
+```bash
+# Windows PowerShell
+Get-ChildItem -Recurse -Path mssql_python -Include *.py | ForEach-Object { pylint $_.FullName }
+
+# macOS/Linux
+find mssql_python -name "*.py" -exec pylint {} \;
+```
+
+**Check specific directories:**
+```bash
+pylint mssql_python/ tests/
+```
+
+### Project Configuration
+
+The project uses Pylint configuration defined in `pyproject.toml`:
+- Line length: 100 characters
+- Minimum score: 8.5
+- Disabled checks: fixme, no-member, too-many-arguments, etc.
+
+**Current project standards:** The project currently uses Pylint for both linting and enforcing formatting standards. While Black could be added for automatic formatting, the current setup relies on Pylint's formatting rules.
+
+## C++ Code Formatting
+
+### Using clang-format
+
+The project has a `.clang-format` configuration file with Google style guidelines.
+
+**Format a single file:**
+```bash
+clang-format -i mssql_python/pybind/ddbc_bindings.cpp
+```
+
+**Format all C++ files:**
+```bash
+# Windows PowerShell
+Get-ChildItem -Recurse -Path mssql_python/pybind -Include *.cpp,*.h,*.hpp | ForEach-Object { clang-format -i $_.FullName }
+
+# macOS/Linux
+find mssql_python/pybind -name "*.cpp" -o -name "*.h" -o -name "*.hpp" | xargs clang-format -i
+```
+
+**Check formatting without modifying files:**
+```bash
+clang-format --dry-run --Werror mssql_python/pybind/ddbc_bindings.cpp
+```
+
+### Using cpplint
+
+The project has a `cpplint.cfg` configuration file with:
+- Line length: 100 characters
+- Filtered out: readability/todo warnings
+- Excludes: build directory
+
+**Check C++ code style:**
+```bash
+# Single file (uses project config automatically)
+cpplint mssql_python/pybind/ddbc_bindings.cpp
+
+# All C++ files
+# Windows PowerShell
+Get-ChildItem -Recurse -Path mssql_python/pybind -Include *.cpp,*.h,*.hpp | ForEach-Object { cpplint $_.FullName }
+
+# macOS/Linux
+find mssql_python/pybind -name "*.cpp" -o -name "*.h" -o -name "*.hpp" | xargs cpplint
+```
+
+## Pre-commit Hooks
+
+**Good news!** The project already has pre-commit hooks configured in `.pre-commit-config.yml`.
+
+The current configuration includes:
+- **Pylint**: Using `pre-commit/mirrors-pylint` (v3.0.0a5)
+- **cpplint**: Local hook with project-specific arguments:
+  - Filters out readability/todo warnings
+  - Line length: 100 characters
+  - Excludes build directory
+
+### Setting up pre-commit hooks:
+
+1. **Install pre-commit (already in requirements.txt):**
+   ```bash
+   pip install pre-commit
+   ```
+
+2. **Install the hooks:**
+   ```bash
+   pre-commit install
+   ```
+
+3. **Run hooks on all files (optional):**
+   ```bash
+   pre-commit run --all-files
+   ```
+
+4. **Run specific hooks:**
+   ```bash
+   # Run only pylint
+   pre-commit run pylint
+   
+   # Run only cpplint
+   pre-commit run cpplint
+   ```
+
+### How it works:
+- Hooks run automatically on `git commit`
+- Only files being committed are checked
+- Commit is blocked if linting fails
+- You can bypass with `git commit --no-verify` (not recommended)
+
+## Best Practices
+
+1. **Always run linting before committing:**
+   - Set up pre-commit hooks
+   - Run manual checks for critical changes
+
+2. **Fix linting issues promptly:**
+   - Don't accumulate technical debt
+   - Address issues in the same PR that introduces them
+
+3. **Understand the rules:**
+   - Read pylint and cpplint documentation
+   - Understand why certain patterns are discouraged
+
+4. **Team consistency:**
+   - Follow the project's existing style
+   - Discuss style changes in team meetings
+
+## Additional Resources
+
+- [Pylint Documentation](https://pylint.pycqa.org/en/latest/)
+- [Black Documentation](https://black.readthedocs.io/en/stable/)
+- [Clang-Format Documentation](https://clang.llvm.org/docs/ClangFormat.html)
+- [cpplint Style Guide](https://google.github.io/styleguide/cppguide.html)
+- [Pre-commit Documentation](https://pre-commit.com/)
diff --git a/cpplint.cfg b/cpplint.cfg
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..1985d7ba
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cpplint.cfg
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+set noparent
+filter=-readability/todo
+linelength=100
+exclude_files=build
diff --git a/pyproject.toml b/pyproject.toml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..edb032c3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pyproject.toml
@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+[tool.pylint]
+disable = [
+    "fixme",
+    "no-member",
+    "too-many-arguments",
+    "too-many-positional-arguments",
+    "invalid-name",
+    "useless-parent-delegation"
+]
+fail-under = 8.5
+max-line-length = 100
diff --git a/requirements.txt b/requirements.txt
index 5abf13dc..99d242ce 100644
--- a/requirements.txt
+++ b/requirements.txt
@@ -4,4 +4,7 @@ pybind11
 coverage
 unittest-xml-reporting
 setuptools
-psutil
\ No newline at end of file
+psutil
+pylint
+cpplint
+pre-commit
\ No newline at end of file