This review provides an overview of recent advances in materials with self-healing properties, focusing on polymers, ceramics, metals, and composites. It highlights the potential of these materials to enhance durability, reliability, and safety in various applications, including aerospace, marine, biomedical, and structural fields. The review discusses the unique self-repair mechanisms of different materials, such as crack healing processes and the use of microcapsules, implants, hydrogels, and ceramics. It also explores the development of composite systems and the integration of self-healing mechanisms into concrete structures. The review emphasizes the importance of understanding the latest developments and future research directions in self-healing materials, aiming to guide future efforts towards the creation of innovative and sustainable materials with enhanced self-repair capabilities. Key applications and mechanisms, such as the use of dynamic covalent chemistry in hydrogels and the vascular network self-healing system, are discussed in detail. The review concludes by addressing the challenges and opportunities in the field, including the need for further research on scalability, cost-effectiveness, and environmental impact.This review provides an overview of recent advances in materials with self-healing properties, focusing on polymers, ceramics, metals, and composites. It highlights the potential of these materials to enhance durability, reliability, and safety in various applications, including aerospace, marine, biomedical, and structural fields. The review discusses the unique self-repair mechanisms of different materials, such as crack healing processes and the use of microcapsules, implants, hydrogels, and ceramics. It also explores the development of composite systems and the integration of self-healing mechanisms into concrete structures. The review emphasizes the importance of understanding the latest developments and future research directions in self-healing materials, aiming to guide future efforts towards the creation of innovative and sustainable materials with enhanced self-repair capabilities. Key applications and mechanisms, such as the use of dynamic covalent chemistry in hydrogels and the vascular network self-healing system, are discussed in detail. The review concludes by addressing the challenges and opportunities in the field, including the need for further research on scalability, cost-effectiveness, and environmental impact.