Automatic diffractometers which have been described to date fall into one of three classes: those in which an automatic systematic search is made for the Bragg reflexions, those in which the angular positions of the crystal and detector axes are computed by means of an analogue computer which is generally an integral part of the diffractometer, and those in which these positions are computed by a digital computer. The first two types of instrument are commonly referred to as analogue diffractometers while diffractometers of the third type are cail~d digital. In this last type the computer may or may not be directly linked to the diffractometer control circuits; in either case digital shaft positioning methods are used, similar to those employed in automatic machine tool control. Within all three classes of diffractometer a variety of different geometrical arrangements is possible.The actual measurement of a reflexion in all these instruments requires the determination of the integrated intensity and of the background level near the Bragg peak. Stationary or moving crystal methods may be used.The relative merits of automatic diffractometers must be assessed according to a variety of different considerations.