A good understanding of the compaction mechanisms of pharmaceutical powders allows accurate prediction of tablet quality and facilitates design of tablet formulations.In this area of research, a common practice is to examine the response of particles towards the pressure applied during compaction.To ensure accurate and reproducible experimental results, it is prudent to have an in depth understanding of the fundamental background and potential applicabilities of the compaction process.This article reviews methods that are widely employed to study the compaction process, such as mathematical models, compaction energetics, statistical analysis methods and mechanical element simulations.In view of the complex nature of the compaction process and current research gaps in understanding the compaction characteristics, particularly of pharmaceutical powder blends, some suggestions will be proposed as well.