This document provides an overview of high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). It discusses the principle, history, types, instrumentation, procedure, advantages, disadvantages and applications of HPLC. Key points include that HPLC uses high pressure to separate compounds faster and more efficiently than other chromatography techniques. Silica is commonly used as the stationary phase because it can withstand pressures over 300-400 atmospheres. The major components of HPLC instrumentation are the solvent reservoir, pump, injector, column, detector and data collector. HPLC has various applications in fields like analytical chemistry, pharmaceuticals, forensics and environmental analysis.