The parent to the modern  Compact Fluorescent Bulbs was invented in the late 1890s by Peter Cooper Hewitt. The Cooper Hewitt lamps were used for photographic studios and industries. Edmund Germer, Friedrich Meyer, and Hans Spanner then patented a high pressure vapor lamp in 1927. George Inman later teamed with General Electric to create a practical fluorescent lamp, sold in 1938 and patented in 1941.[4] The modern Compact Fluorescent Bulbs was invented by Ed Hammer, an engineer with General Electric, in response to the 1973 oil crisis. While it met its design goals, it would have cost GE about US$25 million to build new factories to produce them and the invention was shelved. The design was eventually leaked out and copied by others.

Globally introduced in the early 1980s, Compact Fluorescent Bulbs have steadily increased in sales volume. The most important technical advance has been the gradual replacement of electromagnetic ballasts with electronic ballasts; this has removed most of the flickering and slow starting traditionally associated with fluorescent lighting. There are two types of Compact Fluorescent Bulbs: integrated and non-integrated lamps.

here are two main parts in a Compact Fluorescent Bulbs: the gas-filled tube (also called bulb or burner) and the magnetic or electronic ballast. An electrical current from the ballast flows through the gas, causing it to emit ultraviolet light. The ultraviolet light then excites a phosphor coating on the inside of the tube. This coating emits visible light (see Fluorescent lamp).

Electronic ballasts contain a small circuit board with rectifiers, a filter capacitor and usually two switching transistors connected as a high-frequency resonant series DC to AC inverter. The resulting high frequency, around 40 kHz or higher, is applied to the lamp tube. Since the resonant converter tends to stabilize lamp current (and light produced) over a range of input voltages, standard Compact Fluorescent Bulbs do not respond well in dimming applications and special lamps are required for dimming service. Compact Fluorescent Bulbs that flicker when they start have magnetic ballasts; Compact Fluorescent Bulbs with electronic ballasts are now much more common.

Integrated Compact Fluorescent Bulbs

Integrated lamps combine a tube, an electronic ballast and either an Edison screw or bayonet fitting in a single Compact Fluorescent Bulbs unit. These lamps allow consumers to easily replace incandescent lamps with Compact Fluorescent Bulbs. Integrated Compact Fluorescent Bulbs work well in standard incandescent light fixtures. This lowers the cost of Compact Fluorescent Bulbs use, since they can reuse the existing infrastructure. In addition, incandescent light fixtures are relatively inexpensive.

Non-integrated Compact Fluorescent Bulbs

Non-integrated Compact Fluorescent Bulbs have a separate, replaceable bulb and a permanently installed ballast. Since the ballasts are placed in the light fixture they are larger and last longer, compared to the integrated ones. Non-integrated Compact Fluorescent Bulbs housings can be both more expensive and sophisticated, providing options such as dimming, less flicker, faster starts, etc.

The ballasts make these light fixtures relatively expensive. They cost anywhere from 85 to 200 USD for each recessed can. If a ballast with dimming capabilities is desired the cost is anywhere from 125 to 300 USD per recessed can. Non-integrated Compact Fluorescent Bulbs are more popular for professional users, such as hotels and office buildings. The more advanced capabilities of these sophisticated external ballasts (e.g., faster starts, limited flicker, dimming, longer lifespans, etc.) are starting to appear in integrated Compact Fluorescent Bulbs.

Another style of non-integrated fitting is the "two piece", where the initial system includes a base adapter and detachable fluorescent tube module, and subsequently only the tube unit is replaced. The Thorn 2D and some Philips PL versions are examples, but while replacement tubes are generally still available, it is rare to see the complete kit on sale, having been overshadowed by cut-price one-piece units.

Compact Fluorescent Bulbs power sources

Compact Fluorescent Bulbs are produced for both alternating current (AC) and direct current (DC) input. DC Compact Fluorescent Bulbs are popular for use in recreational vehicles and off-the-grid housing. Some families in developing countries are using DC Compact Fluorescent Bulbs (with car batteries and small solar panels) and/or wind generators, to replace kerosene lanterns.

Compact Fluorescent Bulbs can also be operated with solar powered street lights, using solar panels located on the top or sides of a pole and luminaires that are specially wired to use the lamps.