  We review the properties of two coupled fermionic chains, or ladders, under a
magnetic field parallel to the lattice plane. Results are computed by
complementary analytical (bosonization) and numerical (density-matrix
renormalization group) methods which allows a systematic comparison. Limiting
cases such as coupled bands and coupled chains regimes are discussed. We
particularly focus on the evolution of the superconducting correlations under
increasing field and on the presence of irrational magnetization plateaus. We
found the existence of large doping-dependent magnetization plateaus in the
weakly-interacting and strong-coupling limits and in the non-trivial case of
isotropic couplings. We report on the existence of extended
Fulde-Ferrell-Larkin-Ovchinnikov phases within the isotropic t-J and Hubbard
models, deduced from the evolution of different observables under magnetic
field. Emphasis is put on the variety of superconducting order parameters
present at high magnetic field. We have also computed the evolution of the
Luttinger exponent corresponding to the ungaped spin mode appearing at finite
magnetization. In the coupled chain regime, the possibility of having polarized
triplet pairing under high field is predicted by bosonization.
