<p>Dealloying was initially investigated in the context of corrosion science, but it was later developed into a new method for preparing nanoporous metals with a variety of novel properties and applications. Over the past decade, significant progress has been made in this field. Dealloying is no longer limited to a corrosion process requiring aqueous solutions&#xa0;—&#xa0;other forms of dealloying methods and even phase transformations can also create nanoporous structures, even in materials that are traditionally considered “un-dealloyable.” Dealloyed nanoporous structure is not necessarily uniform and isotropic&#xa0;—&#xa0;heterogeneous nanoporous materials often demonstrate better mechanical or functional performance. Moreover, a nanoporous metal is not merely the final product of dealloying&#xa0;—&#xa0;it can also act as a precursor for the development of other novel nanomaterials that may not be easily fabricated using conventional metallurgical methods. This article provides a review of the latest research on the development of nontraditional dealloying methods, the novel porous or nanoporous materials and their exceptional properties, and the emerging new opportunities in this field.</p> Graphical abstract <p></p>