The article considers the history of techniques and its division into stages: tool production, mechanization, machine production, automation and cybernetic stage. It was substantiated by revealing the recurrence of techniques development and consecutive replacing the fundamental functions of a person by different technical means: contact, impellent, administrative and planning. As a result techniques development has been presented in a form of evolutionary development of corresponding technical ways, their revolutionary change and formation of multi-way structure of techniques.

Key words: division into periods, techniques history, stages of development, recurrence, technical way, evolution, technical revolution.