  Artificial gauge fields are currently realized in a wide range of physical
settings. This includes solid-state devices but also engineered systems, such
as photonic crystals, ultracold gases and mechanical setups. It is the aim of
this review to offer, for the first time, a unified view on these various forms
of artificial electromagnetic fields and spin-orbit couplings for matter and
light. This topical review provides a general introduction to the universal
concept of engineered gauge fields, in a form which is accessible to young
researchers entering the field. Moreover, this work aims to connect different
communities, by revealing explicit links between the diverse forms and
realizations of artificial gauge fields.
