Communication applying visible light technology is a novel approach. Visible Light Communication (VLC) development is motivated by the increasing demand for wireless communication technologies. It has the potential to provide highspeed data communication with good security and improved energy efficiency. The rapid evolution of VLC was sustained by the LEDs performances. The Light-Emitting-Diode (LED) luminaires are capable of switching to the different light intensity at a fast rate. This function can be used for data transmission. This article focuses on the physical layer of the VLC links. It reviews the technology, the topology of the proposed connection, and the benefits of this approach. The main research trends are identified emphasizing state of the art in this area. It shows how VLC technology evolved and what are the performances achieved at this time. Various structures of the transmitter and receiver are studied, and different modulation schemes are investigated. Finally, numerous applications of VLC technology are presented.