This textbook presents modern techniques of local bifurcation theory of vector fields. The first part reviews the Center Manifold theory and introduces a constructive approach of Normal Forms, with many examples. Basic bifurcations as saddle-node, pitchfork and Hopf are studied, together with bifurcations in the presence of symmetries. Special attention is given to examples with reversible vector fields. The second part deals with the Couette-Taylor hydrodynamical instability problem, between concentric rotating cylinders, when the rotation rates are varied. Primary bifurcations to...