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Integrated photonics has the potential to change the power-scaling laws of high-bandwidth systems through proper architectural choices that combine photonics with electronics to optimize performance, power, footprint, and cost. This chapter outlines the principles of integrated microwave photonics (IMWP). Several material platforms have been employed to implement basic building blocks, devices, and application-specific photonic integrated circuits for MWP applications. Of all the material platforms, only three: indium phosphide, silicon on insulator, and silicon (oxy)nitride have reached the required degree of maturity to be currently considered viable options for the implementation of complex MWP-integrated circuits as they are aligned with generic integration and generic foundry models. The chapter discusses the new emerging topic of multifunctional circuits and the no less exciting area of universal programmable MWP processors, where a single hardware architecture can be programmed to carry out the different functionalities required in MWP applications.