Book excerpt: In the past twenty years, new experimental approaches, improved models and progress in simulation techniques brought new insights into long-standing issues concerning dislocation-based plasticity in crystalline materials. Dislocation dynamics simulations are becoming accessible to a wide range of users. This book presents to students and researchers in materials science and mechanical engineering a comprehensive coverage of the physical body of knowledge on whichthey are based. This includes classical studies, which are too often ignored, recent experimental and theoretical advances, as well as a discussion of selected applications on various topics.