Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a chronic, relapsing, pruritic inflammatory disease with a high prevalence, ranking as the leading non-fatal burden of skin diseases. The pathogenesis of AD involves interactions among genetic factors, impaired skin barrier function, dysbiosis, and immune dysregulation. The immune phenotype is highly heterogeneous, with the Th2-dominant immune response. AD exhibits diverse clinical phenotypes, posing challenges for the establishment of clinical diagnostic criteria and personalized management. Targeted biologic therapies focusing on Th2-type inflammatory responses and small-molecule drugs blocking inflammatory signaling pathways have significantly improved the management of the moderate or severe AD. However, the balance between efficacy and safety remains to be evaluated due to limited data. Despite significant advancement in basic and clinical research on AD in recent years, there are still many questions that need to be resolved urgently.