CdS with a direct bandgap of 2.42 eV is considered to be an excellent material for various optoelectronic applications in the visible range of the electromagnetic spectrum, like nonlinear optical devices, LEDs and solar cells. CdS nanowires have drawn great attention owing to their novel properties. Here, we focus on recent strategies used to create CdS nanowires and the emergent properties of the one-dimensional CdS nanowires, and discuss their potential applicability in different fields. In particular, the mechanisms of various synthetic methods for the CdS nanowires are discussed detailedly.