The paper reviews the state-of-the-art in laser-ion acceleration experiments and discusses future developments and perspectives. It highlights the generation of multi-MeV proton and ion beams with unique properties such as ultrathin duration, high brilliance, and low emittance. The main features observed in experiments, the scaling with laser and plasma parameters, and the models used to interpret data and suggest new research directions are described. The Target Normal Sheath Acceleration (TNSA) model, which explains the acceleration of protons from the target rear side, is detailed, along with other acceleration mechanisms like Radiation Pressure Acceleration (RPA) and Collisionless Shock Acceleration (CSA). The paper also covers advanced target engineering and nonlinear optical effects in plasmas, such as Break-Out Afterburner (BOA) and low-density targets. The theoretical discussions are supported by particle-in-cell (PIC) simulations, which are crucial for understanding the complex dynamics of laser-plasma interaction and ion acceleration.The paper reviews the state-of-the-art in laser-ion acceleration experiments and discusses future developments and perspectives. It highlights the generation of multi-MeV proton and ion beams with unique properties such as ultrathin duration, high brilliance, and low emittance. The main features observed in experiments, the scaling with laser and plasma parameters, and the models used to interpret data and suggest new research directions are described. The Target Normal Sheath Acceleration (TNSA) model, which explains the acceleration of protons from the target rear side, is detailed, along with other acceleration mechanisms like Radiation Pressure Acceleration (RPA) and Collisionless Shock Acceleration (CSA). The paper also covers advanced target engineering and nonlinear optical effects in plasmas, such as Break-Out Afterburner (BOA) and low-density targets. The theoretical discussions are supported by particle-in-cell (PIC) simulations, which are crucial for understanding the complex dynamics of laser-plasma interaction and ion acceleration.