Advances in the field of stents have revolutionised the treatment of coronary artery diseases. To provide effective treatment for coronary artery disease, a stent has to be deliverable and flexible, cause minimal trauma to the vessel wall, cause minimal inflammatory reaction, endothelialise well, provide scaffolding for the vessel, and finally promote vessel healing and remodelling. Bare-metal stents (BMS) have been commonly used to treat symptomatic coronary artery disease during the past two decades, but long-term results have shown problems of in-stent restenosis (ISR) and stent thrombosis. Intensive work to overcome the problems of ISR has successfully led to the introduction of drug-eluting stents (DES). DES has significantly reduced the rate of restenosis; it has reduced morbidity, mortality, and economic costs associated with the percutaneous treatment of coronary artery disease. Patients no longer have to come back for catheterisations due to ISR. The success of DES has shifted the focus on further developments towards enhancing long-term safety and efficacy of these devices. Bioabsorbable and polymer-free stents hold promise as successors to the current generation of DES.