Integrated　photonic　devices　and　artificial　intelligence　have　presented　a　significant　opportunity　for　the　advancement　of　optical　computing　in　practical　applications.　Optical　computing　technology　is　a　unique　computing　system　based　on　optical　devices　and　computing　functions,　which　significantly　differs　from　the　traditional　electronic　computing　technology.　On　the　other　hand,　optical　computing　technology　offers　the　advantages　such　as　fast　speed,　low　energy　consumption,　and　high　parallelism.　Yet　there　are　still　challenges　such　as　device　integration　and　portability.　In　the　burgeoning　development　of　micro–nano　optics　technology,　especially　the　deeply　ingrained　concept　of　metasurface　technique,　it　provides　an　advanced　platform　for　optical　computing　applications,　including　edge　detection,　image　or　motion　recognition,　logic　computation,　and　on-chip　optical　computing.　With　the　aim　of　providing　a　comprehensive　introduction　and　perspective　for　optical　computing　metasurface　applications,　we　review　the　recent　research　advances　of　optical　computing,　from　nanostructure　and　computing　methods　to　practical　applications.　In　this　work,　we　review　the　challenges　and　analysis　of　optical　computing　metasurfaces　in　engineering　field　and　look　forward　to　the　future　development　trends　of　optical　computing.　©　2024　the　author(s),　published　by　De　Gruyter.