A review of our progress in the realization of an ultrashort-pulse laser-driven hard-x-ray source based on the combination of a femtosecond laser system with an x-ray diode is given. New results on the development of electron-based compact EUV sources for {\textquotedbl}at-wavelength"metrology are presented. Detailed investigations of spectral, spatial, and temporal characteristics of both sources are performed and possible applications are discussed.