Geopolymer concrete (GPC) represents a transformative advancement in sustainable construction materials, demonstrating comparable mechanical performance to conventional Ordinary Portland Cement (OPC) while reducing CO₂ emissions by 60–80%. Through systematic analysis of 120+ studies, this review establishes that alkaline activation of industrial byproducts (fly ash, metakaolin, alccofine) yields compressive strengths of 15–98 MPa, split tensile strengths of 3–13 MPa, and flexural strengths of 4–14 MPa, with performance primarily governed by SiO₂/Al₂O₃ molar ratios (2.5 to 4.5) and Na₂O content (6 to10%). However, material variability induces ±15% strength deviations in standardized mixes, highlighting significant quality control challenges. The commercial adoption of geopolymer concrete faces three primary challenges: standardized preparation methods for NaOH activator solutions (3–16 M) remain undefined, structural validation for high-strength applications (>50 MPa) is inadequate, and comprehensive long-term performance data is lacking. The review prioritizes research on binder proportion system and standardized testing protocols for ambient-to-thermal (upto 90 ℃) curing regimes to advance GPC implementation. These findings provide a technical framework for transitioning GPC from laboratory innovation to industrial implementation, addressing key knowledge gaps in standardization and scalability for sustainable infrastructure development.