Recombination can be a dominant force in shaping genomes and associated phenotypes. To better understand the impact of recombination on genomic evolution, we need to be able to identify recombination in aligned sequences. We review bioinformatic approaches for detecting recombination and measuring recombination rates. We also examine the impact of recombination on the reconstruction of evolutionary histories and the estimation of population genetic parameters. Finally, we review the role of recombination in the evolutionary history of bacteria, viruses, and human mitochondria. We conclude by highlighting a number of areas for future development of tools to help quantify the role of recombination in genomic evolution.