  We present a general framework to study relativistic compound systems in a
Hamiltonian formalism. This formalism is based on the explicitly covariant
formulation of light-front dynamics, with a decomposition of the state vector
in Fock components. In order to be able to make definite predictions order by
order in the truncation of the Fock expansion, we use an appropriate Fock
sector dependent renormalization scheme. Our covariant formulation enables us
to have a strict control of any violation of rotational invariance due to the
choice of a given orientation of the light-front plane. This is mandatory in
order to define the necessary renormalization conditions, and hence to be able
to calculate physical observables. We emphasize the role played by antiparticle
degrees of freedom in order to control, order by order in the Fock expansion,
the scale invariance of physical observables. This nonperturbative framework
demands also to use an appropriate regularization scheme. We show why the
recently proposed Taylor-Lagrange regularization scheme is a very adequate
scheme since it can be implemented very naturally, and from a systematic point
of view, in light-front dynamics. As a direct application of this general
framework, we settle the basis for a new formulation of chiral effective field
theory in the baryonic sector based on light-front dynamics and a Fock
decomposition of the state vector.
