Cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET) provides a global assessment of the integrative exercise responses involving the pulmonary and cardiovascular systems by testing the gas exchange in airway. CPET is commonly used to evaluate the presence and severity of coronary ischemia, as well as exertional symptoms, heart rate and blood pressure responses and estimated aerobic capacity. CPET has become an important global clinical detection tool, while fewer related researches are carried out in China. The parameters, methods, exercise protocol, equipment, cardiopulmonary function evaluation and clinical application of CPET are introduced in this review.