Climate change profoundly influences various global sectors, with coastal regions particularly vulnerable to its effects. The increase in sea-level rise is considered the most significant effect of climate change on coastal areas, as it accounts for other critical threats, such as accelerated coastal erosion, which puts coastal areas under threat of being demolished. To address such catastrophic effects coastal protection works were used over the coastlines to protect the coastal structures and communities. Two types of coastal protection works are used worldwide: Hard Structures, such as breakwaters, jetties, and groins, and Soft Structures, such as dikes, dunes, and nourishment. Hard structures are intended to prevent or mitigate coastal erosion by intercepting waves, lowering wave energy, and interfering with longshore drift. However, although being the most common practice of coastal protection, they have shown their poor environmental implications and inadequate long-term protection over the years. Soft structures, on the other hand, are viewed as a more sustainable alternative to hard structures for shoreline stabilization in the face of climate change. They are less harmful to the environment and can provide various ecological services; they are more resistant to climate change impacts and can adapt to changing conditions to preserve coastal structures. The main objective of this study is to thoroughly analyze the difference between hard structures and soft structures in terms of their materials, uses, and impacts through identifying the characteristics of these structures, assessing their environmental impacts, and evaluating their effectiveness.