 The bottom-up methods for synthesizing carbon dots, CDs, remain the most widely used approach for large-scale and low-cost production, but recent advancements have led to significant changes in structure and properties, prompting a new classification of CDs called carbonized polymer dots, CPDs. CPDs possess unique polymer-slash-carbon hybrid structures and properties, and this study provides deep insights into the effects of synthesis on their structure-slash-property features. The synthesis methods of CDs are also summarized, and the impact of synthesis conditions on the formation process and nucleation mechanism of CPDs is discussed comprehensively. Finally, a perspective on the future development of CDs is proposed with critical insights into facilitating their potential applications in various fields. This article was authored by Chun Lixia, Xiao Jiu and Zhu, Tang Lufeng, and others.