> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.cli.cdata.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# CData CLI

> A command-line interface for downloading CData JDBC drivers and using them to connect to and query data sources.

The CData CLI is a command-line tool that lets you connect to and query data sources using CData JDBC drivers. You can manage driver licenses, configure connections, run SQL queries, and explore schema metadata — all from a terminal.

## Key features

* **Driver management**: Download, list, activate, and inspect connection properties for CData drivers.
* **Connection management**: Create, list, update, and delete named connections to your data sources.
* **SQL queries**: Execute SQL queries against any connected data source and receive results as JSON.
* **Schema discovery**: Browse catalogs, schemas, tables, columns, stored procedures, and parameters.
* **JSON output**: All output is structured JSON, making it easy to pipe into other tools or scripts.

## Requirements

* Java 17 or later (the installer can automatically install [Adoptium JRE 17](https://adoptium.net/))
* CData JDBC drivers (placed in `./` or `./lib/` relative to the CLI executable)
* Some drivers require additional third-party libraries. See [Third-party dependencies](./installation.mdx#third-party-dependencies).

## Next steps

* [Install the CData CLI](./installation.mdx)
* [Quick start](./quickstart.mdx)
* [Commands reference](./commands/index.mdx)
* [Connection files](./connections.mdx)