SQL Anywhere can be run on Windows, Windows CE, Mac OS X, and various UNIX platforms, including Linux, AIX, HP-UX and Solaris. Database files are independent of the operating system, allowing them to be copied between supported platforms. The product provides several standard interfaces (ODBC, JDBC, and ADO.NET) and a number of special interfaces such as PHP and Perl. The engine supports stored procedures, user functions (using Watcom SQL, T-SQL, Java, or C/C++), triggers, referential integrity, row-level locking, replication, high availability, proxy tables, and events (scheduled and system events). Strong encryption is supported for both database files and client-server communication.

SQL Anywhere is used in several contexts, including as an embedded database, particularly as an application data store. For example, it is used in Intuit QuickBooks,^[1] in network management products, and in backup products. Its ability to be used with minimal administration is a distinguishing feature in this role. It can be used as a database server for work groups or for small or medium-sized businesses. It can also function as a mobile database. It includes scalable data synchronization technology that provides change-based replication between separate databases, including large server-based RDBMS systems.

SQL Anywhere Server is a high performing and embeddable relational database-management system (RDBMS) that scales from thousands of users in server environments down to desktop and mobile applications used in widely deployed, zero-administration environments.

Ultralite: UltraLite is a database-management system designed for small-footprint mobile devices such as PDAs and smart phones.

Mobilink: MobiLink is a highly-scalable, session-based synchronization technology for exchanging data among relational databases and other non-relational data sources.

QAnywhere: QAnywhere facilitates the development of robust and secure store-and-forward mobile messaging applications.

SQL Remote: SQL Remote technology is based on a store and forward architecture that allows occasionally connected users to synchronize data between SQL Anywhere databases using a file or message transfer mechanism.

• Initially created by Watcom as Watcom SQL.
• Version 3: 1992
• Watcom acquired by Powersoft in 1993; Watcom SQL shipped with their visual programming environment PowerBuilder
• Version 4: 1994 (Stored procedures, triggers)
• PowerSoft and Sybase merged in 1995: Watcom SQL was renamed SQL Anywhere.
• Version 5: 1995 (SQL Remote data replication; graphical administration tools)
• Version 6: 1998. Renamed Adaptive Server Anywhere (ASA). (multi-processor support, Java objects in the database)
• Version 6.0.2: 1999 (MobiLink data synchronization, UltraLite mobile database for Palm OS and Windows CE)
• Version 7: 2000 (dynamic cache, task scheduling and event handling, cross-platform administration tools)
• Version 8: 2001 (Volcano query optimizer, encrypted data storage and transmission)
• Version 9: 2003 (Index consultant, embedded HTTP server)
• Version 10: 2006 – renamed SQL Anywhere (high availability, intra-query parallelism, materialized views)^[2]
• Version 11: 2008 (full text search, BlackBerry support)^[3]
• Version 12: 2010 released by SAP Sybase (support for spatial data)^[4][5]
• Version 16: April 18, 2013 – (faster synchronization and improved security)^[6]
• Version 17: July 15, 2015; released by SAP ^[7]

• SQL Anywhere official product page