An overview is given over relativistic mean field theory for finite nuclei. Applications for the description of ground states of spherical and deformed nuclei are discussed. High‐spin states and superdeformed bands are investigated within the framework of a relativistic extension of the cranking theory. A field theoretical theory for pairing correlations is presented, and it is shown that the parameter sets used so far in the literature for relativistic mean field theory are not able to describe the superfluid behavior of nuceli in a reliable way.