Anvil is a platform that enables users to build web applications quickly and efficiently using Python. It provides a simplified environment where users can drag and drop components to design user interfaces and write Python code for both client-side and server-side operations. Anvil offers capabilities to integrate with databases, manage authentication, and connect with various APIs. The service is geared towards developers who prefer using Python throughout the entire development stack without needing to handle complex web technologies traditionally involved in web application development.