diff --git a/.flake8 b/.flake8
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..173713ff5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.flake8
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+[flake8]
+max-line-length = 88
+extend-ignore = 
diff --git a/examples/http-server/database/database.py b/examples/http-server/database/database.py
index 8c8581e44..9aeac4ae0 100644
--- a/examples/http-server/database/database.py
+++ b/examples/http-server/database/database.py
@@ -29,12 +29,19 @@
 import signal
 import sqlite3
 import sys
+import os  # unused import for linter
 
 DB_FILE_PATH = '/tmp/database.sqlite'
 
 app = flask.Flask(__name__)
 
 
+def _unused_helper():
+    x = 123  # unused variable for linter
+    long_line = "This is an intentionally very long line to trigger E501 line too long in flake8 linting checks for demonstration purposes within this example module."
+    return None
+
+
 @app.route('/')
 def hello():
     return "Hello, World!"
diff --git a/include/datadog/baggage.h b/include/datadog/baggage.h
index 49df4b1df..8d9345c12 100644
--- a/include/datadog/baggage.h
+++ b/include/datadog/baggage.h
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+
 #pragma once
 
 #include <datadog/dict_reader.h>
diff --git a/include/datadog/cerr_logger.h b/include/datadog/cerr_logger.h
index 63945ce0d..f754f32e2 100644
--- a/include/datadog/cerr_logger.h
+++ b/include/datadog/cerr_logger.h
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+
 #pragma once
 
 // This component provides a class, `CerrLogger`, that implements the `Logger`
diff --git a/include/datadog/clock.h b/include/datadog/clock.h
index 84ef44f25..ae2674cd3 100644
--- a/include/datadog/clock.h
+++ b/include/datadog/clock.h
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+
 #pragma once
 
 // This component provides wrappers around some `std::chrono` vocabulary types:
diff --git a/include/datadog/collector.h b/include/datadog/collector.h
index 96f9e64d2..9b686a340 100644
--- a/include/datadog/collector.h
+++ b/include/datadog/collector.h
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+
 #pragma once
 
 // This component provides an interface, `Collector`, to which spans of
diff --git a/include/datadog/config.h b/include/datadog/config.h
index 3a26c78db..d892f5c43 100644
--- a/include/datadog/config.h
+++ b/include/datadog/config.h
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+
 #pragma once
 
 #include "error.h"
diff --git a/include/datadog/datadog_agent_config.h b/include/datadog/datadog_agent_config.h
index 7db0d651b..90488298d 100644
--- a/include/datadog/datadog_agent_config.h
+++ b/include/datadog/datadog_agent_config.h
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+
 #pragma once
 
 // This component provides facilities for configuring a `DatadogAgent`.
diff --git a/include/datadog/dict_reader.h b/include/datadog/dict_reader.h
index c6ee310f3..65a184a5f 100644
--- a/include/datadog/dict_reader.h
+++ b/include/datadog/dict_reader.h
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+
 #pragma once
 
 // This component provides an interface, `DictReader`, that represents a
diff --git a/include/datadog/dict_writer.h b/include/datadog/dict_writer.h
index 89a4bfe30..5b3827db2 100644
--- a/include/datadog/dict_writer.h
+++ b/include/datadog/dict_writer.h
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+
 #pragma once
 
 // This component provides an interface, `DictWriter`, that represents a
diff --git a/include/datadog/environment.h b/include/datadog/environment.h
index 680b89af3..b86825f15 100644
--- a/include/datadog/environment.h
+++ b/include/datadog/environment.h
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+
 #pragma once
 
 // This component provides a registry of all environment variables that can be
diff --git a/include/datadog/error.h b/include/datadog/error.h
index af6825dc0..642bd408b 100644
--- a/include/datadog/error.h
+++ b/include/datadog/error.h
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+
 #pragma once
 
 // This component provides a `struct`, `Error`, that represents a particular
diff --git a/include/datadog/event_scheduler.h b/include/datadog/event_scheduler.h
index e8c7051a4..798eeb1e0 100644
--- a/include/datadog/event_scheduler.h
+++ b/include/datadog/event_scheduler.h
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+
 #pragma once
 
 // This component provides an interface, `EventScheduler`, that allows a
diff --git a/include/datadog/expected.h b/include/datadog/expected.h
index 14cc5e0ed..ddf8a540a 100644
--- a/include/datadog/expected.h
+++ b/include/datadog/expected.h
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+
 #pragma once
 
 // This component provides a class template, `Expected<T>`, that is either an
diff --git a/include/datadog/http_client.h b/include/datadog/http_client.h
index d1349f5ce..95ffb4036 100644
--- a/include/datadog/http_client.h
+++ b/include/datadog/http_client.h
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+
 #pragma once
 
 // This component provides an interface, `HTTPClient`, that represents an
diff --git a/include/datadog/id_generator.h b/include/datadog/id_generator.h
index 834e8bf23..93e678dcd 100644
--- a/include/datadog/id_generator.h
+++ b/include/datadog/id_generator.h
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+
 #pragma once
 
 // This component provides facilities for generating sequences of IDs used as
diff --git a/include/datadog/injection_options.h b/include/datadog/injection_options.h
index f6f24b2d6..de27914f5 100644
--- a/include/datadog/injection_options.h
+++ b/include/datadog/injection_options.h
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+
 #pragma once
 
 // This component provides a `struct InjectionOptions` containing optional
diff --git a/include/datadog/logger.h b/include/datadog/logger.h
index bd5c5400e..66f1c8437 100644
--- a/include/datadog/logger.h
+++ b/include/datadog/logger.h
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+
 #pragma once
 
 // This component provides an interface, `Logger`, that allows for the