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The main goal of electronic structure methods is to solve the SchrÖdinger equation for the electrons in a molecule or solid, to evaluate the resulting total energies, forces, response functions and other quantities of interest. In this paper we describe the basic ideas behind the main electronic structure methods such as the pseudopotential and the augmented wave methods and provide selected pointers to contributions that are relevant for a beginner. We give particular emphasis to the projector augmented wave (PAW) method developed by one of us, an electronic structure method for ab initio molecular dynamics with full wavefunctions. We feel that it allows best to show the common conceptional basis of the most widespread electronic structure methods in materials science. The methods described below require as input only the charge and mass of the nuclei, the number of electrons and an initial atomic geometry. They predict binding energies accurate within a few tenths of an electron volt and bond lengths in the 1-2% range. Currently, systems with a few hundred atoms per unit cell can be handled. The dynamics of atoms can be studied up to tens of picoseconds. Quantities related to energetics, the atomic structure and to the ground-state electronic structure can be extracted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]