Over the last decade, many 3rd generation storage ring light sources have been built and put into operation. Progressively, significant improvements have been brought to the machine performances and experiences developed at the first facilities have benefited to the most recently built ones.

Most of the recent facilities are now featuring small emittances, high current together with high position stability. The small sizes of the electron beam at the source points impose achieving position stabilities in the sub micron range. The technology to build the insertion devices that produce the photon beams has reached a very mature state and enables 3 GeV medium energy /medium size machines to produce high brilliance beams up to the hard X-Ray range (10 - 30 keV). The designing of the optical set-up of a beamline includes now the choice of the best suited undulator. All these facilities are operated as “photon factories” and deliver their beams to many beamlines over several thousands hours per year.

Some recent projects aim at achieving very small horizontal emittances by combining large circumference rings with damping wiggler devices.

We will review the main features which are required to achieve the best performances, putting some emphasis on the specific developments made at SOLEIL, or at other facilities, either recently built or under construction.