The radiation characteristics, main applications, design techniques, and practical implementations for the class of leaky‐wave antennas are considered. The basic relations between the propagation properties of open waveguides, on which these antennas are based, and the relevant features of the radiation patterns are discussed, exploiting the leaky‐wave concept. The principal radiative properties as main‐beam direction, beamwidth, radiation efficiency, scanning behavior, and sidelobe level are described. The various steps of a practical design are outlined. Examples of proposed structures derived from metallic, dielectric, and printed waveguides are reported. Accounts for measurement procedures and practical operation are given.