Metal joining is an integral part of the manufacturing process, where components of similar material or two different materials are assembled in a complex system. Welding techniques like Resistance spot welding (RSW) and Self-piercing rivets (SPR) have been employed in the automotive industry to join door and hood structures. However, the solidification-based defects like voids and pores in RSW and cracks and wrinkles in SPR joints have made the researchers and engineers look for alternative metal joining technique like Friction stir spot welding (FSSW). FSSW is a solid-state metal joining technique, which has been reported to produce superior quality weld joints at reduced weld times and energy consumption. The process parameters in FSSW are key to obtain joints with superior weld properties. Hence, in this paper an attempt is made to report the research status on the effects of process parameters on mechanical and metallurgical characteristics in different types of FSSW processes. © 2020 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.