Abstract: Device-to-device(D2D) communication is a new technology that allows mobile terminals to directly communicate with each other by sharing the resources of cells under the control of cellular systems. D2D communication is introduced into cellular networks to improve resource utilization efficiency and increase system throughput. However, it also gives rise to many new challenges. Firstly the system model and operating principle of D2D communication is described, and then a survey is made on the recent researches aiming to achieve D2D communication in cellular networks, including session setup, resource allocation, power control, and interference coordination. Finally, the application cases of D2D communication are briefly introduced.