The article reviews the role of ATP-dependent chromatin remodeling in development, focusing on the dynamic nature of chromatin and the importance of ATP-dependent enzymes in controlling chromatin structure and assembly. Chromatin is found to be highly dynamic, with its structure and histone modifications undergoing global changes during development and in response to extracellular cues. ATP-dependent chromatin remodeling enzymes, such as SWI/SNF, ISWI, CHD, and INO80 complexes, are crucial for both the assembly and dissolution of chromatin structures. These complexes have evolved to accommodate the major changes in chromatin regulation during the evolution of vertebrates from unicellular eukaryotes. The review highlights the specialized and programmatic roles of these complexes in establishing and maintaining pluripotent and multipotent states in cells, particularly in stem cells. The authors discuss the developmental roles of these complexes in *Drosophila melanogaster* and mice, emphasizing the importance of combinatorial assembly in generating diverse gene-expression patterns. They also explore the specific functions of different complexes, such as the BAF complex in maintaining the self-renewal and pluripotency of embryonic stem cells, and the ISWI complex in regulating higher-order chromatin structure. The review concludes by discussing the emerging insights into the mechanisms by which chromatin remodeling complexes are targeted to their sites of action and the potential for chromatin remodeling to transmit memory of cell fate across generations.The article reviews the role of ATP-dependent chromatin remodeling in development, focusing on the dynamic nature of chromatin and the importance of ATP-dependent enzymes in controlling chromatin structure and assembly. Chromatin is found to be highly dynamic, with its structure and histone modifications undergoing global changes during development and in response to extracellular cues. ATP-dependent chromatin remodeling enzymes, such as SWI/SNF, ISWI, CHD, and INO80 complexes, are crucial for both the assembly and dissolution of chromatin structures. These complexes have evolved to accommodate the major changes in chromatin regulation during the evolution of vertebrates from unicellular eukaryotes. The review highlights the specialized and programmatic roles of these complexes in establishing and maintaining pluripotent and multipotent states in cells, particularly in stem cells. The authors discuss the developmental roles of these complexes in *Drosophila melanogaster* and mice, emphasizing the importance of combinatorial assembly in generating diverse gene-expression patterns. They also explore the specific functions of different complexes, such as the BAF complex in maintaining the self-renewal and pluripotency of embryonic stem cells, and the ISWI complex in regulating higher-order chromatin structure. The review concludes by discussing the emerging insights into the mechanisms by which chromatin remodeling complexes are targeted to their sites of action and the potential for chromatin remodeling to transmit memory of cell fate across generations.