All embedded SQL statements start with the words EXEC SQL and end with a semicolon. Normal C-language comments are allowed in the middle of embedded SQL statements.

Every C program using embedded SQL must contain the following statement before any other embedded SQL statements in the source file.

EXEC SQL INCLUDE SQLCA;

The first embedded SQL executable statement in the program must be a SQL CONNECT statement. The CONNECT statement supplies connection parameters that are used to establish a connection to the UltraLite database.

Some embedded SQL commands do not generate any executable C code, or do not involve communication with the database. Only these commands are allowed before the CONNECT statement. Most notable are the INCLUDE statement and the WHENEVER statement for specifying error processing.