<p>As a material surface modification technology, cutting tool surface coating can effectively prevent direct contact between the cutting tool substrate and workpiece, thus providing better excellent mechanical properties, wear resistance, high-precision machining performance compared to ordinary cutting tools. This review summarizes the recent progress in the study of cutting tool coating technology, focusing on the influence of different coating materials on cutting tool performance and the strategy of selecting coating preparation methods under different working conditions. The effect of different coating structures was analyzed, emphasizing that nano-coatings can optimize the balance between coating hardness and ductility performance by adjusting the nanocrystal size, components, phase structure, internal stresses, etc. Meanwhile, the significant role of numerical simulation in cutting tool evaluation and coating parameter optimization was also emphasized. Finally, we analyze the effect of surface micro-texturing as well as their processing methods on improving the overall performance of coatings. This review could contribute to a comprehensive understanding of the influencing factors of cutting tool coatings and offer a reasonable guide for selecting and designing the optimal coating preparation technology based on specific machining conditions of the tool.</p>