The　large-scale　utilization　of　inorganic　salts　as　promising　candidate　for　medium　and　high　temperature　thermal　energy　storage　has　been　significantly　restricted　at　both　industrial　and　commercial　scales　due　to　the　two　main　limitations　of　low　thermal　conductivity　and　chemical　incompatibility.　Recent　researchers　have　revealed　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　for　shape　stabilization　and　a　thermal　conductivity　enhancement　additive　for　heat　transfer　enhancement,　and　has　shown　to　achieve　an　excellent　combination　of　thermophysical　and　mechanical　properties.　In　this　paper,　a　comprehensive　review　of　such　shape　stability　salt　based　composite　in　state　of　the　art　is　presented.　The　selection　principles　and　criteria　for　the　ingredients　of　inorganic　salts,　structural　materials　and　thermal　conductivity　enhancers　that　suitable　for　fabricating　composite　is　first　reviewed.　And　then,　the　key　research　progresses　on　the　composite　heat　transfer　investigation　and　performance　enhancement　are　summarized　and　discussed.　Furthermore,　the　applications　of　this　inorganic　salt　based　composite　in　the　fields　of　medium　and　high　temperature　thermal　energy　storage　are　reviewed　in　detail.　Finally,　the　limitations　and　future　considerations　as　well　as　research　direction　on　such　composites　are　highlighted.　(c)　2022　The　Author(s).　Published　by　Elsevier　Ltd.　This　is　an　open　access　article　under　the　CC　BY-NC-ND　license　(http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).