  In no other field of astrophysics has the impact of new instrumentation been
as substantial as in the domain of exoplanets. Before 1995 our knowledge about
exoplanets was mainly based on philosophical and theoretical considerations.
The following years have been marked, instead, by surprising discoveries made
possible by high-precision instruments. More recently the availability of new
techniques moved the focus from detection to the characterization of
exoplanets. Next-generation facilities will produce even more complementary
data that will lead to a comprehensive view of exoplanet characteristics and,
by comparison with theoretical models, to a better understanding of planet
formation.
