A limited review of the literature dealing with water solubility and diffusion in oxide glasses and melts is presented, with an emphasis on simple and commercial compositions and on work during the past decade. Several methods for determination of water solubilities and diffusivities are discussed. Experimental results are presented for silicate, borate, and germanate glasses and melts. Water diffusivities always increase with increasing temperature and modifier oxide content in these melts. Variations in water solubility and diffusivity with alkali and alkaline earth identity for otherwise identical compositions are small, while variations with the identity of the glass-forming oxide are large. Water solubility increases with increasing modifier oxide content in alkali silicate melts, but decreases with increasing modifier oxide content in alkali borate and germanate melts.