We will discuss the constructions of compact manifolds with exceptional holonomy (in fact, holonomy $G_{2}$),  due to Joyce and Kovalev.  These both use “gluing constructions”. The first involves de-singularising quotient spaces and the second constructs a 7-manifold from “building blocks” derived from Fano threefolds.  We will explain how the local moduli theory is determined by a period map and discuss connections between the global moduli problem and Riemannian convergence theory (for manifolds with bounded Ricci curvature).