Novel approaches in the SR beamline design

High brightness third generation x-ray sources bring new experimental possibilities and impose new challenges. Coherent scattering and diffraction-limited microscopy require wave-preserving optics, high-resolution inelastic scattering novel optical elements, where x-ray interferometry or the requirements of precise polarization measurements change the optical layout. With NSLS-II development as an illustration we discuss recent trends in beamline design.