Sol-gel process is one of the simplest techniques to manufacture thin films. The quality of the prepared films depends on the parameters of the sol-gel process and the used technique for deposition. A great variety of the sol-gel derived films have been prepared for different applications. We present a review on the sol-gel derived coatings. The description of the process is introduced in details. Different sol-gel deposition techniques are mentioned. The optical applications of the sol-gel derived coatings are reviewed.