Direct Versus Embedded SQL

Direct SQL is where an SQL statement is executed from some form of an interactive terminal. The SQL results are returned directly to the terminal that issued the statement. Most of this book has focused on direct SQL. Direct SQL is also referred to as interactive invocation or direct invocation.

Embedded SQL is SQL code used within other programs, such as Pascal, Fortran, COBOL, and C. SQL code is actually embedded in a host programming language, as discussed previously, with call-level interface. Embedded SQL statements in host programming language code are commonly preceded by EXEC SQL and terminated by a semicolon in many cases. Other termination characters include END-EXEC and the right parenthesis.

The following is an example of embedded SQL in a host program, such as the ANSI C language:

{host programming commands}
EXEC SQL {SQL statement};
{more host programming commands}