Radio-frequency quadrupole (RFQ) linear accelerators appeared on the accelerator scene in the late 1970s and have since revolutionized the domain of low-energy proton and ion acceleration. The RFQ makes the reliable production of unprecedented ion beam intensities possible within a compact radio-frequency (RF) resonator which concentrates the three main functions of the low-energy linac section: focusing, bunching and accelerating. Its sophisticated electrode structure and strict beam dynamics and RF requirements, however, impose severe constraints on the mechanical and RF layout, making the construction of RFQs particularly challenging. This lecture will introduce the main beam optics, RF and mechanical features of a RFQ emphasizing how these three aspects are interrelated and how they contribute to the final performance of the RFQ.