  We present an overview of the reaction coordinate approach to handling strong
system-reservoir interactions in quantum thermodynamics. This technique is
based on incorporating a collective degree of freedom of the reservoir (the
reaction coordinate) into an enlarged system Hamiltonian (the supersystem),
which is then treated explicitly. The remaining residual reservoir degrees of
freedom are traced out in the usual perturbative manner. The resulting
description accurately accounts for strong system-reservoir coupling and/or
non-Markovian effects over a wide range of parameters, including regimes in
which there is a substantial generation of system-reservoir correlations. We
discuss applications to both discrete stroke and continuously operating heat
engines, as well as perspectives for additional developments. In particular, we
find narrow regimes where strong coupling is not detrimental to the performance
of continuously operating heat engines.
