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Recent analytical and computational advances in the theory of large-scale dynamos are reviewed. The importance of the magnetic helicity constraint is apparent even without invoking mean-field theory. The tau approximation yields expressions that show how the magnetic helicity gets incorporated into mean-field theory. The test-field method allows an accurate numerical determination of turbulent transport coefficients in linear and nonlinear regimes. Finally, some critical views on the solar dynamo are being offered and targets for future research are highlighted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]