With the imminent energy crisis, mankind's demand for clean energy is increasing. Electricity, as the foundation of today's social development, its industry is developing at a high speed, and there is an urgent need for more efficient, stable and flexible power conversion solutions in the field of power electronics. However, traditional power electronics topologies encounter limitations, especially when confronted with wide-ranging input voltage fluctuations, posing challenges for meeting practical requirements. The Z-source inverter addresses issues inherent in conventional power electronic topologies. The Z-source inverter, a novel power electronic converter, has garnered significant attention in the power electronics domain due to its promising developmental prospects. The paper initially presents advancements in Z-source inverter topology, followed by a summary of pertinent technologies, including modulation techniques and closed-loop control strategies. Furthermore, it delves into a comprehensive examination of Z-source inverters, offering valuable references and insights to further enhance their performance and reliability. Finally, the challenges faced by Z-source inverters are discussed and possible directions of development are proposed.