In a classic contest, the two shared a record 11 centuries and brought up the 100th ton of the tournament.
Trump took total control at 12-5 after the first day in Sheffield, helped by a run of winning eight straight frames.
Judd Trump dismantled John Higgins 18-9 to claim his maiden World Championship title in one of the most breathtaking Crucible finals ever witnessed.
In a classic contest, the two shared a record 11 centuries and brought up the 100th ton of the tournament.
Trump took total control at 12-5 after the first day in Sheffield, helped by a run of winning eight straight frames.
Both missed chances of maximum breaks as Trump went 16-9 up, a lead he did not relinquish in the final session.
Trump collects £500,000 in prize money, making him the first player in history to amass more than £1m in a single season.
The Englishman has long been touted as a world champion, previously regarded as one of the best players never to win in Sheffield, but now he has finally fulfilled his potential and moves up to second in the world rankings.
"It is incredible achievement for me from where I was," Trump, 29, told BBC Sport.
"I have worked so hard for this. For the people around me this is so special. It was an amazing final, the standard was so high from the very first ball.
"That is probably the best I have ever played in a major final."
Trump and Higgins in century masterclass
In a remarkable exhibition of potting from both players, they took the standard of snooker to another level, making frame-winning breaks of 50 or more in 23 of the 27 frames played.
Here is how the numbers stack up:
Most centuries in a professional match: Trump and Higgins shared 11 tons, one more than the 10 seen in the 2016 semi-final between Ding Junhui and Alan McManus.
Most centuries in a Crucible final: The total of 11 was three more than the previous record of eight, set in 2002 (Stephen Hendry v Peter Ebdon) and 2013 (Ronnie O'Sullivan v Barry Hawkins)
Most centuries by a player in a single match: Trump made seven centuries in the final, equalling Ding's record against McManus from 2016
Most tournament centuries overall: There were 100 in the tournament, smashing the previous best of 86 from 2015 and 2016
Six-time world champion Steve Davis said on BBC Two: "It was amazing. The standard in that final may have been the greatest we have ever seen and Judd Trump was at the heart of it."
From 'naughty snooker' to finally coming of age
One of the pre-tournament favourites, the Bristolian reached the final in part by capitalising on the shock exits of world number one Ronnie O'Sullivan and three-time winner Mark Selby from his half of the draw.
This has been by far the best season of Trump's career, winning three ranking titles, and he becomes the first player since Mark Williams in 2003 to claim the double of World Championship and Masters in the same campaign.
He has now also completed snooker's Triple Crown following his victory at the UK Championship in 2011.
Earlier that year, he was beaten 18-15 in his first world final appearance by Higgins, going agonisingly close with his all-out attacking style of play which he labelled himself as "naughty snooker".
Some of that was on display again in this final, playing a black with the cue behind his back, which brought a smile from Higgins, and another red down the cushion that was described as "Alex Higgins-esque".
But he is a complete player now, having won 11 ranking titles in total, turning on the style with heavy scoring and possessing a potent safety game.
Trump took apart O'Sullivan at Alexandra Palace in January and this was another demolition job of one of snooker's greats - a run of eight frames in a row and four centuries on the first day setting the platform for a tremendous triumph.