[en] The use of in situ X-ray diffraction for the study of thin film growth enables in a straightforward way to derive the atomic structure, because the kinematical scattering approximation holds. Here we present the results of studying the heteroepitaxial growth by Pulsed Laser Deposition of complex oxides such as the High-T c superconductor YBa₂Cu₃O_7-x and the insulator LaAlO₃ on SrTiO₃(001) substrates. A special sample chamber has been constructed to be used with synchrotron X-rays. Detailed pictures of the growth kinetics and of the atomic interface structure at deposition conditions result from fitting quantitatively both the intensity growth oscillations and the crystal truncation rods. The growth of the complex oxide thin films presented here is characterized by substantial interlayer-mass transport and large deviations from the bulk room-temperature atomic structure. The results show the effects of the interplay between formation and diffusion energies on the processes of nucleation and kinetics during heteroepitaxial growth