The different methods of subnanosecond pulse generation are compared. The relaxation oscillations can have 0.5—0.8 ns pulse length, with a limited tunabinity. The use of regenerative oscillations in long cavities yields much better parameters (0.5 ns; 0.004 nm). The third method is the most promising. Distributed feedback dye lasers are capable of generating single picosecond pulses. The fundamental properties of these lasers are discussed and an oscillator-amplifier system is described with an output power of 3 MW.