  Most present and future electron accelerators require bright sources.
Invented less than ten years ago, the photo-injector the principle of which is
briefly recalled, has already demonstrated that it can provide very bright
beams. In this paper, the most advanced photo-injector projects are reviewed,
their specific features are outlined, and their major issues are examined. The
state-of-the-art in photocathode and laser technologies is presented. Beam
dynamics issues are also considered since they are essential in the production
of bright beams. Finally, the question of the maturity of photo-injector
technology is addressed.
