# Embedded SQL

Embedded SQL refers to embedding SQL queries in another language.

SQL can be embedded in various languages including C, Java and Cobol.

A language into which SQL queries are embedded is referred to as a **host language**, and the SQL structures permitted in the host language comprise **embedded SQL**.

The EXEC SQL statement is used to identify embedded SQL request to the preprocessor:

```
EXEC SQL <embedded SQL statement> END_EXEC
```

Note that this varies by language. Java embedding uses:

```
# SQL {...};
```