The quantum theory is used to explain the valence electron energy levels. In short, an element's valence shell is full and most stable when it contains eight electrons, corresponding to an s2p6 electron configuration. This stability is the reason that the noble gases are so unreactive, for example neon with electron configuration 1s2 2s2 2p6. (Helium is an exception as explained below).

Note that a "full shell" means that there are the eight electrons in the valence shell when the next shell starts filling, even though higher subshells (d, f, etc.) have not been filled. There can be at most eight valence electrons in a ground-state atom because p subshells are always followed by the s subshell of the next shell. This means that once there are 8 valence electrons (when the p subshell is filled), the next additional electron goes into the next shell, which then becomes the valence shell.

A consequence of the octet rule is that atoms generally react by gaining, losing, or sharing electrons in order to achieve a complete octet of valence electrons. Reaction of atoms occurs primarily in two ways: ionically and covalently.

Some of the atoms for which the octet rule are most useful are:

In the late 19th century it was known that coordination compounds (formerly called “molecular compounds”) were formed by the combination of atoms or molecules in such a manner that the valencies of the atoms involved apparently became satisfied. In 1893, Alfred Werner showed that the number of atoms or groups associated with a central atom (the “coordination number”) is often 4 or 6; other coordination numbers up to a maximum of 8 were known, but less frequent. In 1904 Richard Abegg was one of the first to extend the concept of coordination number to a concept of valence in which he distinguished atoms as electron donors or acceptors, leading to positive and negative valence states which greatly resemble the modern concept of oxidation states. Abegg noted that the difference between the maximum positive and negative valences of an element under his model is frequently eight. Gilbert N. Lewis referred to this insight as Abegg's rule and used it to help formulate his cubical atom model and the "rule of eight" which began to distinguish between valence and valence electrons. In 1919 Irving Langmuir refined these concepts further and renamed them the "cubical octet atom" and "octet theory". The "octet theory" evolved into what is now known as the "octet rule".