The Cambridge Structural Database (CSD) is a comprehensive resource containing all published organic and metal–organic small-molecule crystal structures. Established in 1965, the CSD has been a primary means of sharing structural chemistry data and knowledge across disciplines. The database includes structures from both public scientific articles and direct publications as CSD Communications. All structures are processed computationally and by expert editors to ensure reliable chemical identity and experimental data association. The CSD's value lies in its aggregation and standardization of structures, facilitating access and reuse, and in the collective study of the entries, which has led to significant scientific discoveries. The database has grown to over 800,000 entries, with an increasing complexity of structures. The CSD's evolution has involved the development of informatics systems, such as *CSD-Xpedite*, which automates deposition and processing, and tools like *deCIFer* for automatic chemical assignment. The CSD is accessible through free web services and third-party applications, and it supports various scientific applications, including education and research. The future of the CSD includes integrating with other molecular structure databases and advancing techniques for capturing and analyzing molecular structures.The Cambridge Structural Database (CSD) is a comprehensive resource containing all published organic and metal–organic small-molecule crystal structures. Established in 1965, the CSD has been a primary means of sharing structural chemistry data and knowledge across disciplines. The database includes structures from both public scientific articles and direct publications as CSD Communications. All structures are processed computationally and by expert editors to ensure reliable chemical identity and experimental data association. The CSD's value lies in its aggregation and standardization of structures, facilitating access and reuse, and in the collective study of the entries, which has led to significant scientific discoveries. The database has grown to over 800,000 entries, with an increasing complexity of structures. The CSD's evolution has involved the development of informatics systems, such as *CSD-Xpedite*, which automates deposition and processing, and tools like *deCIFer* for automatic chemical assignment. The CSD is accessible through free web services and third-party applications, and it supports various scientific applications, including education and research. The future of the CSD includes integrating with other molecular structure databases and advancing techniques for capturing and analyzing molecular structures.