Neural development describes how the nervous system is generated and shaped from early embryos to adulthood. In vertebrates it begins when the ectoderm forms a neural tube that regionalizes into brain and spinal cord. Molecular signals then pattern this tube along body axes, specifying distinct neuron types. Neural stem cells produce neurons that migrate by several modes to their final positions, extend axons and dendrites, and form synapses. Trophic factors regulate which neurons survive, while activity-dependent mechanisms and synapse elimination refine circuits. Modern imaging and genomics reveal this process in detail, and defects can cause malformations and neurodevelopmental disorders.