There are two types of basic drain that are installed in a residential setting:
The first is a Surface Drain, which as the name implies takes care of surface water. You will see catch basins installed at ground level to bring the water into the drainage system. In addition to catch basins, you can also tie in your downspouts to this form of drainage system in order to mitigate the watershed off of your roof.
The other type of drain is a “French Drain”. This drain is a closed system drain and is used for areas that are consistently wet and boggy due environmental factors like shady areas, natural springs or the like. This system is made up of a perforated pipe buried approximately 1-2 foot down and surrounded by gravel and landscape cloth, usually topped with soil and not visible from the surface. When properly designed and installed, this is a maintenance free drain as no dirt and debris can enter the system.