The 

European XFEL

 is getting ready to welcome 

first users later this year

. This talk summarizes the 

scientific motivations and the main features

 of the new source and the accompanying instrumentation. The 17.5 GeV superconducting linac is presently commissioning with beam. It shall deliver up to 27, 000 ultrashort electron bunches per second to 3 different undulators (later to be upgraded to 5). The aim for full operation is to operate 

3 experiments in parallel and to maximise scientific output by optimised X-ray optics, optical lasers, diagnostics, detectors and data acquisition

. First lasing is expected in spring or summer this year, and first users in the fall.