Cold spray technology,originated from the Institute of Theoretical and Applied Mechanics Siberian branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences,is a rapidly emerging industrial coating technology.Cold sprayed particles with high-velocity impact onto a substrate so as to induce severe plastic deformation and then create a deposit.For its low temperature and high velocity compared with thermal spraying,the cold spraying process is increasingly used in the industries for protective coating.The deposition characteristics of the particles,coating formation and bonding mechanism of the cold spraying process are different from thermal spraying.Many theory investigations of the cold spraying process contribute to the development of the high performance coatings,which makes the cold spraying process as a popular research field.Presently,the deposition characteristics,bonding mechanism,process optimization as well as classical applications of the cold spraying technology in the past are reviewed,and the interesting points for the further development,optimization and applications of this technology are also recommended. Cold spray technology, originated from the Institute of Theoretical and Applied Mechanics Siberian branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, is a rapidly emerging industrial coating technology. Cold sprayed particles with high-velocity impact onto a substrate so as to induce severe plastic deformation and then create a deposit. For its low temperature and high velocity compared with thermal spraying, the cold spraying process is increasingly used in the industries for protective coating. The deposition characteristics of the particles, coating formation and bonding mechanism of the cold spraying process are different from thermal spraying. Many theory investigations of the cold spraying process contribute to the development of the high performance coatings, which makes the cold spraying process as a popular research field. Presently, the deposition characteristics, bonding mechanism, process optimization as well as classical applications of the cold spraying technology in the past are reviewed, and the interesting points for the further development, optimization and applications of this technology are also recommended.