Multi-input converters, used to integrate different renewable energy sources, accommodate a range of sources and pools to their advantage such that the energy source is diversified to enhance utilization and reliability of the renewable source. The literature reports the development of several front-end DC-DC converters that could interface the sources. The topologies were classified based on the energy conversion stages, namely, DC-DC boost converter and voltage source inverter, and the kinds of controllers that control the circuit to ensure stabilization of load and input voltage, maintain component tolerance and system ageing. This is a comprehensive study of mapping the progress of diverse inverter topologies from the recent literature. Advantages, disadvantages, and limitations are given in this critical literature survey, along with the basic operating principles of several topologies. © 2014 Elsevier Ltd.