Infrared detectors are indispensable in the civilian, military, and aerospace fields, and their future development is of great strategic significance. This paper reviews the history and current status of infrared detectors, focusing on traditional photon–type infrared detectors such as mercury cadmium telluride (HgCdTe), indium gallium arsenide (InGaAs), antimonides, quantum wells (QWs) and silicon–based blocked impurity band (BIB) detectors. It also covers novel detectors, including colloidal quantum dots (CQDs), two–dimensional (2D) material detectors, electromagnetic induced well (EIW) effect detectors, and ferroelectric polarization–regulated infrared detectors. Additionally, it discusses the applications of new technologies in infrared detection, such as event–based dynamic vision sensing, computational imaging, absorption enhanced micro/nanostructures, and three–dimensional (3D) integration. Finally, it explores future development trends of infrared detectors.