This review provides an overview of the diversity and distribution of bacterial membrane lipids and the metabolic pathways involved in their synthesis. For many decades, Escherichia coli was the main model organism for studying bacterial membrane lipids. However, it is now clear that there is no typical bacterial membrane lipid composition. Different bacterial species have different membrane compositions, and even within a single species, the membrane composition can vary depending on environmental conditions. Bacterial membranes contain a wide variety of amphiphilic lipids, including common phospholipids such as phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylethanolamine, and cardiolipin, as well as less frequent phospholipids like phosphatidylcholine and phosphatidylinositol, and other membrane lipids such as ornithine lipids, glycolipids, sphingolipids, and hopanoids. The review discusses the known membrane lipid structures in bacteria, the metabolic pathways involved in their formation, and the distribution of membrane lipids and metabolic pathways across taxonomical groups. The review highlights the diversity of membrane lipids in bacteria, including phospholipids and phosphorus-free membrane lipids. It describes the synthesis pathways for major membrane-forming lipids and discusses how these pathways are distributed. The review also discusses the structural diversity of membrane lipids, including the hydrophobic moieties and headgroups, and the presence of various lipids in different bacterial phyla. The review covers the synthesis of phospholipids and phosphorus-free membrane lipids, including the pathways for the synthesis of phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylinositol, and other lipids. It also discusses the synthesis of phospholipids and phosphorus-free membrane lipids in different bacterial groups, such as actinomycetes, proteobacteria, and others. The review concludes with a discussion of the diversity of membrane lipids in bacteria and their importance in bacterial physiology and pathogenesis.This review provides an overview of the diversity and distribution of bacterial membrane lipids and the metabolic pathways involved in their synthesis. For many decades, Escherichia coli was the main model organism for studying bacterial membrane lipids. However, it is now clear that there is no typical bacterial membrane lipid composition. Different bacterial species have different membrane compositions, and even within a single species, the membrane composition can vary depending on environmental conditions. Bacterial membranes contain a wide variety of amphiphilic lipids, including common phospholipids such as phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylethanolamine, and cardiolipin, as well as less frequent phospholipids like phosphatidylcholine and phosphatidylinositol, and other membrane lipids such as ornithine lipids, glycolipids, sphingolipids, and hopanoids. The review discusses the known membrane lipid structures in bacteria, the metabolic pathways involved in their formation, and the distribution of membrane lipids and metabolic pathways across taxonomical groups. The review highlights the diversity of membrane lipids in bacteria, including phospholipids and phosphorus-free membrane lipids. It describes the synthesis pathways for major membrane-forming lipids and discusses how these pathways are distributed. The review also discusses the structural diversity of membrane lipids, including the hydrophobic moieties and headgroups, and the presence of various lipids in different bacterial phyla. The review covers the synthesis of phospholipids and phosphorus-free membrane lipids, including the pathways for the synthesis of phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylinositol, and other lipids. It also discusses the synthesis of phospholipids and phosphorus-free membrane lipids in different bacterial groups, such as actinomycetes, proteobacteria, and others. The review concludes with a discussion of the diversity of membrane lipids in bacteria and their importance in bacterial physiology and pathogenesis.