Abstract: In order to systematically sort out the research progress, technical bottlenecks and development prospects of friction stir additive manufacturing (FSAM), the bibliometric method was adopted and the VOSviewer visualisation tool was used to carry out an bibliometric of the Web of Science database. As a large-scale solid-phase additive manufacturing technology for forming lightweight alloy components, FSAM has attracted extensive attention in the global advanced manufacturing field. The domestic and international research progress of FSAM technology and its related process mechanism were systematically summarized, the common FSAM is classified to two categories, namely, FSAM based on thin-plate stacking and stirred friction deposition additive manufacturing, and the characteristics of the two typical FSAM technologies and their process advantages and disadvantages were compared and analyzed. The technical principles, process parameters, material system, microstructure evolution and mechanical properties of FSAM were systematically reviewed, focusing on the analysis of the current status and application of this technology in metal material processing in China and foreign countries, and finally it pointed out that in-depth understanding of the AM intrinsic mechanism, expanding the application in new materials, developing outfield-assisted process modification, and optimizing the process by using artificial intelligence are the key directions of future research in this field.