The ATLAS Forward Detectors and their Physics Potential

The forward detectors of the ATLAS experiment are presented, discussing the goals and requirements they have to fulfill and the status of the various projects in the view of the sturtup of the LHC functioning. The importance of the measurement of the luminosity delivered by the machine is discussed underlying the interplay between the different parts of the experiment needed to achieve the foreseen O($\%$) precision for many physics analyses, as well as the need of a continuous relative luminosity monitoring as a tool for a proper quality of the data acquired. The foreseen forward physics program is also presented as well as the future upgrades under discussion, able to open additional fields on the overall physics potential of the experiment.