  Any white dwarf or neutron star that accretes enough material from a red
giant companion, such that this interaction can be detected at some wavelength,
is currently termed Symbiotic Star (typical P(orb)=2-3 years). In the majority
of ~400 known systems, the WD burns nuclearly at its surface the accreted
material, and the resulting high temperature (T(eff)=10(^5)~K) and luminosity
(L(hot)=10(^3)-10(^4) Lsun) allow ionization of a large fraction of the cool
giant's wind, making such symbiotic stars easily recognizable through the whole
Galaxy and across the Local Group. X-ray observations are now revealing the
existence of a parallel (and larger ?) population of optically-quiet,
accreting-only symbiotic stars. Accretion flows and disks, ionization fronts
and shock, complex 3D geometries and new evolution channels are gaining
relevance and are reshaping our understanding of symbiotic stars. We review the
different types of symbiotic stars currently in the family and their variegated
outburst behaviors through an unified evolution scheme connecting them all.
