Finishing of wood can be classified into two distinct forms...film vs penetrating.
Film finishes are your urethanes, lacquers...paint too. Its adhesion is a mechanical bond, it grabs onto the microscopic texture of the material you are applying it to. You can get a 'build' by applying multiple coats. Some materials like conversion varnish has a limit to the number of coats and could create cracking. But overall, 3-4 coats gets you a decent build. Wipe-on polys of course, being that you are wiping a lot away, have a limit to the build. Sanding in between to level the previous coat is usually necessary, don't polish with too fine a paper or else you will reduce the ability for the next coat to bond. And the number of coats you put on one side, you should do the same to the other to reduce possible warping.
Advantages: good protection, mostly water resistant (water proof is your marine grades), varying gloss levels, many are capable of spraying if viscosity is in the range.
Disadvantages: tough to 'touch up', need to deal with fumes, dust can be an issue unless buffing after curing
The other is penetrating or oil finishes. Pure tung oil is one of the oldest finishes, some newer oils have some varnish in them to get a bit of a build. Watco and Waterlox are examples of this. Oil finishes bond and protect through a chemical reaction with the wood. You can put almost an unlimited number of coats on initially, 4-6 coats frequently, but 8-10 coats is not unheard of. You may need to reapply over time depending on usage.
Advantages: easy to apply, easy to maintain, easy to touch up or redo completely, good water resistance depending on type, no sanding in between coats, usually less fumes, usually a soft feel
Disadvantages: if stained wood is the surface, and you are wiping on the oil, the process will remove some of the color, so you may have to stain darker (tough to get uniform results) or best is to spray on the oil, also tough to get a higher gloss finish without serious buffing, satin level is common.
One thing many expect (some of my customers...sigh), is for the finish to protect from anything. If you hit or scratch anything hard enough, you will damage it. If you are doing something from scratch, you need the wood underneath to be a species that will help with the protection. Don't expect a countertop surface made of a soft wood, but with the best finish, to protect. Your film finish protects from scratches and liquids, but not dents, that's the material underneath. You need to use both the material and finish for the usage.
Finishing is a huge topic. This short novel just scratches the surface (pun intentional). There are techniques and adjusting that can be discussed for a long time. Ever-increasing laws about chemicals, finishing also becomes more challenging. Finishing in a factory setting with automation is far better than a spray setup in your home shop. But you pay the price. DIY people can get good finishes with quality materials and good technique, and be fairly inexpensive.
That's it for now, just typing over the morning coffee.