This review article by János Bérdy summarizes the history, features, and future prospects of research on microbial metabolites, including antibiotics and other bioactive compounds. It discusses the microbial origin, diversity of producing species, functions, and various bioactivities of metabolites, as well as their unique chemical structures. The article also addresses the possible number of metabolites that may be discovered in the future, the problem of dereplication of newly isolated compounds, and new trends and prospects in research. The history of antibiotic research, from the discovery of Fleming to the present, is described, highlighting the significant number of natural products derived from microbial sources that have been identified over the past 50 years. The article discusses the increasing diversity of microbial metabolites, the role of actinomycetes and fungi in producing bioactive compounds, and the challenges in the discovery and characterization of these compounds. The article also covers the biological activity of secondary metabolites, their functions, and the various types of bioactivities they exhibit. It discusses the chemical structures of these metabolites, their diversity, and the increasing complexity of their biosynthetic pathways. The article highlights the importance of microbial metabolites in medicine, agriculture, and other fields, and the need for further research to discover new bioactive compounds. The review also addresses the problem of dereplication, the challenges in identifying new compounds, and the importance of data management and cooperation in the field. It concludes with the potential for future discoveries in the field of microbial metabolites and the need for continued research and innovation.This review article by János Bérdy summarizes the history, features, and future prospects of research on microbial metabolites, including antibiotics and other bioactive compounds. It discusses the microbial origin, diversity of producing species, functions, and various bioactivities of metabolites, as well as their unique chemical structures. The article also addresses the possible number of metabolites that may be discovered in the future, the problem of dereplication of newly isolated compounds, and new trends and prospects in research. The history of antibiotic research, from the discovery of Fleming to the present, is described, highlighting the significant number of natural products derived from microbial sources that have been identified over the past 50 years. The article discusses the increasing diversity of microbial metabolites, the role of actinomycetes and fungi in producing bioactive compounds, and the challenges in the discovery and characterization of these compounds. The article also covers the biological activity of secondary metabolites, their functions, and the various types of bioactivities they exhibit. It discusses the chemical structures of these metabolites, their diversity, and the increasing complexity of their biosynthetic pathways. The article highlights the importance of microbial metabolites in medicine, agriculture, and other fields, and the need for further research to discover new bioactive compounds. The review also addresses the problem of dereplication, the challenges in identifying new compounds, and the importance of data management and cooperation in the field. It concludes with the potential for future discoveries in the field of microbial metabolites and the need for continued research and innovation.