Carbon dots（CDs） comprise a recently discovered class of strongly fluorescent，non-toxic，emission color tuning，non-blinking nanoparticles with great analytical and bioanalytical potential.In the past decade，the procedures for preparing C-dots have become increasingly versatile and facile，and their applications are being extended to a growing number of fields of biochemical sensing，environmental testing and so on.In this article，the progress made in the field of carbon dots in recent years，especially in latest developments of analytical and bioanalytical applications is reviewed，and the synthesis and properties of carbon dots are outlined.Finally，this review also provides perspectives on future opportunities and the remaining challenges confronting this research field.