<p>With the continuous advancement of materials science toward intelligence and functionalization, polymer materials with multiple response characteristics have gradually become a research hot spot. Polybenzoxazine (PBZ) exemplifies the new generation of high-performance polymers, owing to its unique molecular structure, exceptional heat resistance, mechanical properties, and flexible molecular designability. In recent years, researchers have endowed PBZ with self-healing functions through molecular engineering and functional integration strategies, making it show broad application prospects in the field of smart materials. This review systematically sorts out the research progress of PBZ in self-healing from three dimensions: mechanism design (involving dynamic covalent bonds such as Diels–Alder reactions and disulfide bonds, as well as dynamic non-covalent interactions like hydrogen bonds and metal coordination), functional integration (combining shape memory, reprocessability, and antibacterial properties), and practical applications (with potential in aerospace and practical achievements in electronic devices). However, challenges remain, including optimizing the balance between self-healing efficiency and mechanical strength, developing scalable low-cost manufacturing for wider industrial adoption, and enhancing performance stability under harsh environmental conditions</p> Graphical abstract <p></p>