Before subsequent chapters delve into the physics of matter in intense focused laser fields, this chapter first surveys the laser technologies most commonly employed for experimental investigations of high-intensity laser interaction physics. Chirped pulse amplification (CPA), the pioneering invention that has enabled much of modern research on strong field physics, is explained, and the laser gain media most commonly used with the technique are surveyed. The next sections of the chapter are devoted to presenting the physics and technology behind the various components of a modern CPA laser, starting with mode-locked oscillators for seeds, pulse stretchers and compressors and power amplifier chains. Key topics behind the successful deployment of such lasers, such as pulse temporal contrast control, temporal phase control, and pulse focusing, are briefly considered. Other laser technologies used in strong field physics research are also briefly discussed in the concluding section.