Inorganic　salts　are　promising　and　effective　candidates　used　as　phase　change　materials　(PCMs)　for　medium　and　high　temperature　thermal　energy　storage　applications,　owning　to　their　suitable　melting　temperature　range,　favourable　energy　storage　density　and　high　thermal　stability.　However,　limited　by　the　two　main　challenges　of　low　thermal　conductivity　and　chemical　incompatibility,　the　large-scale　utilization　of　inorganic　salts　has　been　significantly　restricted　at　both　industrial　and　commercial　scales.　Recent　researchers　have　indicated　that　the　development　of　shape-stabilized　composite　phase　change　materials　(CPCMs)　could　provide　an　effective　solution　to　overcome　these　challenges.　Such　CPCMs　are　consisted　of　an　inorganic　salt　for　energy　storage,　a　skeleton　structure　material　(SSM)　for　shape　stabilization　and　a　thermal　conductivity　enhancement　additive　(TCEA)　for　heat　transfer　enhancement,　and　has　shown　to　achieve　an　excellent　combination　of　thermophysical　and　me-chanical　properties.　In　this　review,　the　key　research　progresses　on　such　salt　based　composites　have　been　reviewed　via　summarizing　the　ingredients　selection,　module　fabrication,　microstructural　characteristics　and　development,　as　well　as　applications　in　medium　and　high　temperature　thermal　energy　storage　fields.　The　relationships　between　the　material　properties　and　microstructural　formation　mechanism　are　comprehensively　reviewed　and　discussed　by　comparing　different　fabrication　approaches　with　the　aims　to　provide　the　reader　an　in-depth　understanding　on　the　design　and　fabricating　considerations　of　these　composites.　Finally,　the　future　research　efforts　and　challenges　of　such　salt　based　composites　are　also　summarized　and　prospected　through　emphasizing　on　the　significance　of　development　of　new　fabrication　technologies　that　are　cost-effective　and　high-efficiency　for　practical　applications.