Water in protoplanetary disks: from Spitzer to JWST

Water is a fundamental ingredient of planet formation, both as a key constituent of planetary atmospheres, and as a mass catalyst of giant planet cores. It is ubiquitous in our own solar system, but its distribution is not uniform, with only trace amounts being part of the terrestrial planets, including the Earth. In recent decades, we have found abundant water vapor and ice in protoplanetary disks using infrared telescopes such as Spitzer and Herschel, and most recently JWST. With these facilities, we have developed a growing understanding of the trail of water from the interstellar medium to young planets. I will review our current knowledge of the disposition of planet-forming water and discuss its role in determining the architectures and make-up of exoplanetary systems.