In supercritical fluid chromatography (SFC) the mobile phase is neither a gas nor a liquid, but is a supercritical fluid. As a result of the unique properties of supercritical fluids, SFC is rapidly becoming a prominent separation technique for the analysis of reactive, thermally labile, and nonvolatile compounds. This article reviews the history, instrumentation, and practice of the technique. Particular emphasis is placed on the different programming methods that allow elution to be selectively controlled in ways that are unique to SFC.