Recent advances in solar-driven interfacial evaporation (SDIE) have enabled high evaporation rates, offering promising applications in freshwater production and pollutant/nutrient concentration. This review highlights various evaporator designs achieving evaporation rates exceeding 4 kg m⁻² h⁻¹, including structural and material innovations, passive 3D designs, and systems coupled with alternative energy sources like wind and joule heating. The study discusses operational mechanisms, benefits, and challenges of these systems, emphasizing the need for sustainable and efficient evaporation under diverse environmental conditions. SDIE systems are categorized into frontside conventional (FC) and backside reverse (BR) modes. FC-SDIE systems directly contact bulk water, utilizing materials that convert solar energy to heat, evaporate water, and wick water through the material. BR-SDIE systems use multilayered structures with thermal conduction layers to transfer heat to the evaporation layer, which is hydrophilic to facilitate water inflow. Both modes aim to enhance evaporation rates through optimized material and design choices. Recent studies have achieved evaporation rates beyond the theoretical 2D limit of 1.47 kg m⁻² h⁻¹, with some systems reaching over 4 kg m⁻² h⁻¹. These systems utilize advanced materials, 3D structures, and environmental energy to enhance evaporation. For example, hydrogels and aerogels have shown high evaporation rates due to their high surface area and efficient water transport. Additionally, coupling SDIE with joule heating and convective flow has improved evaporation rates, especially in low-light and nighttime conditions. 3D evaporators, such as those using hydrogels, aerogels, and carbon-based materials, have demonstrated high evaporation rates by leveraging ambient energy and optimizing heat transfer. These systems often incorporate features like capillary channels, porous networks, and hydrophobic membranes to enhance water transport and evaporation. The integration of photothermal and electrothermal processes has further improved performance, with some systems achieving evaporation rates of up to 26.52 kg m⁻² h⁻¹. The review also addresses challenges such as salt accumulation, which can be mitigated through diffusion, dilution, and hydrophobic treatments. While SDIE systems offer high evaporation rates, they require careful design to ensure stability and efficiency, especially in varying environmental conditions. The study emphasizes the importance of balancing evaporation rates with water collection efficiency to ensure practical applications in freshwater production and resource recovery.Recent advances in solar-driven interfacial evaporation (SDIE) have enabled high evaporation rates, offering promising applications in freshwater production and pollutant/nutrient concentration. This review highlights various evaporator designs achieving evaporation rates exceeding 4 kg m⁻² h⁻¹, including structural and material innovations, passive 3D designs, and systems coupled with alternative energy sources like wind and joule heating. The study discusses operational mechanisms, benefits, and challenges of these systems, emphasizing the need for sustainable and efficient evaporation under diverse environmental conditions. SDIE systems are categorized into frontside conventional (FC) and backside reverse (BR) modes. FC-SDIE systems directly contact bulk water, utilizing materials that convert solar energy to heat, evaporate water, and wick water through the material. BR-SDIE systems use multilayered structures with thermal conduction layers to transfer heat to the evaporation layer, which is hydrophilic to facilitate water inflow. Both modes aim to enhance evaporation rates through optimized material and design choices. Recent studies have achieved evaporation rates beyond the theoretical 2D limit of 1.47 kg m⁻² h⁻¹, with some systems reaching over 4 kg m⁻² h⁻¹. These systems utilize advanced materials, 3D structures, and environmental energy to enhance evaporation. For example, hydrogels and aerogels have shown high evaporation rates due to their high surface area and efficient water transport. Additionally, coupling SDIE with joule heating and convective flow has improved evaporation rates, especially in low-light and nighttime conditions. 3D evaporators, such as those using hydrogels, aerogels, and carbon-based materials, have demonstrated high evaporation rates by leveraging ambient energy and optimizing heat transfer. These systems often incorporate features like capillary channels, porous networks, and hydrophobic membranes to enhance water transport and evaporation. The integration of photothermal and electrothermal processes has further improved performance, with some systems achieving evaporation rates of up to 26.52 kg m⁻² h⁻¹. The review also addresses challenges such as salt accumulation, which can be mitigated through diffusion, dilution, and hydrophobic treatments. While SDIE systems offer high evaporation rates, they require careful design to ensure stability and efficiency, especially in varying environmental conditions. The study emphasizes the importance of balancing evaporation rates with water collection efficiency to ensure practical applications in freshwater production and resource recovery.