This paper reviews the current state of visible and near-infrared (vis–NIR) spectroscopy in soil science. It discusses the fundamentals of vis–NIR spectroscopy, including diffuse reflectance and multivariate calibrations, and provides a comprehensive overview of its past and current applications in soil analysis. The review focuses on important soil attributes such as soil organic matter (SOM), minerals, texture, nutrients, water, pH, and heavy metals. It also examines the performance and generalization capacity of vis–NIR calibrations, considering factors such as sample pre-treatment, data preprocessing, and the influence of external factors. Field analyses and practical strategies for using vis–NIR in soil science are also discussed. The paper concludes that vis–NIR is useful for measuring soil water and mineral composition and for deriving robust calibrations for SOM and clay content. It also highlights the potential for predicting properties such as pH and nutrients, although their robustness may be questioned. The paper recommends future research should focus on theoretical calibrations, understanding soil complexity, and applications for soil mapping and monitoring. It emphasizes the need for more collaborative and strategic research in soil spectroscopy. The development of the Global Soil Spectral Library is suggested as a step in the right direction.This paper reviews the current state of visible and near-infrared (vis–NIR) spectroscopy in soil science. It discusses the fundamentals of vis–NIR spectroscopy, including diffuse reflectance and multivariate calibrations, and provides a comprehensive overview of its past and current applications in soil analysis. The review focuses on important soil attributes such as soil organic matter (SOM), minerals, texture, nutrients, water, pH, and heavy metals. It also examines the performance and generalization capacity of vis–NIR calibrations, considering factors such as sample pre-treatment, data preprocessing, and the influence of external factors. Field analyses and practical strategies for using vis–NIR in soil science are also discussed. The paper concludes that vis–NIR is useful for measuring soil water and mineral composition and for deriving robust calibrations for SOM and clay content. It also highlights the potential for predicting properties such as pH and nutrients, although their robustness may be questioned. The paper recommends future research should focus on theoretical calibrations, understanding soil complexity, and applications for soil mapping and monitoring. It emphasizes the need for more collaborative and strategic research in soil spectroscopy. The development of the Global Soil Spectral Library is suggested as a step in the right direction.