Electron back scatter diffraction (EBSD) has made an impressive impact on the characterization of materials by directly linking microstructure and crystallographic texture to provide very rich and quantitative datasets which in many instances have forced us to rethink how microstructure should be defined and analyzed. In this article we try to first give a very basic idea of how an EBSD map is obtained and what the data produced is like. We then give a brief history detailing some of the more major steps in developing the technique to what it is today. Finally, we explore two advanced and exciting technique areas of strain mapping and 3D microscopy and demonstrate how the EBSD technique continues to evolve to tackle new applications and bolster our materials characterization toolbox. © 2012 Elsevier Ltd