This review provides an overview of the diversity and distribution of bacterial membrane lipids and the metabolic pathways involved in their synthesis. It highlights that there is no typical bacterial membrane lipid composition, as different species display varying membrane compositions, which can also change with environmental conditions. The review covers a wide range of amphiphilic lipids, including common phospholipids such as phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylethanolamine, and cardiolipin, as well as less common phospholipids like phosphatidylcholine and phosphatidylinositol. It also discusses various other membrane lipids such as ornithine lipids, glycolipids, sphingolipids, and hopanoids. The review details the synthesis pathways for these lipids, emphasizing the complexity and diversity of enzymes and pathways involved. Additionally, it provides a taxonomic view of membrane lipid composition across different bacterial phyla, noting that α-proteobacteria, β-proteobacteria, γ-proteobacteria, δ-proteobacteria, and cyanobacteria have distinct lipid compositions. The review concludes by discussing the pathways for the synthesis of phospholipids and phosphorus-free membrane lipids, including the common precursor CDP-DAG and the synthesis of specific lipids like phosphatidylcholine, cardiolipin, and phosphatidylinositol.This review provides an overview of the diversity and distribution of bacterial membrane lipids and the metabolic pathways involved in their synthesis. It highlights that there is no typical bacterial membrane lipid composition, as different species display varying membrane compositions, which can also change with environmental conditions. The review covers a wide range of amphiphilic lipids, including common phospholipids such as phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylethanolamine, and cardiolipin, as well as less common phospholipids like phosphatidylcholine and phosphatidylinositol. It also discusses various other membrane lipids such as ornithine lipids, glycolipids, sphingolipids, and hopanoids. The review details the synthesis pathways for these lipids, emphasizing the complexity and diversity of enzymes and pathways involved. Additionally, it provides a taxonomic view of membrane lipid composition across different bacterial phyla, noting that α-proteobacteria, β-proteobacteria, γ-proteobacteria, δ-proteobacteria, and cyanobacteria have distinct lipid compositions. The review concludes by discussing the pathways for the synthesis of phospholipids and phosphorus-free membrane lipids, including the common precursor CDP-DAG and the synthesis of specific lipids like phosphatidylcholine, cardiolipin, and phosphatidylinositol.