K-Theory for group C^*-algebras

These notes are based on a lecture course given by the first author in the Sedano Winter School on K-theory held in Sedano, Spain, on January 22-27th of 2007. They aim at introducing K-theory of C^*-algebras, equivariant K-homology and KK-theory in the context of the Baum-Connes conjecture.