Plant‐parasitic nematodes cause huge economic losses of $ 157 billion to world agriculture annually. Long‐term use of traditional nematicides can lead to increased resistance of nematode and reduced control effectiveness. New effective and safe nematicides are needed to replace the organophosphorus and carbamate. Heterocyclic compounds play an important role in nematicide discovery. For example, the new nematicides fluenesulfone, fluopyram, cyclobutrifluram, tioxazafen, imicyafos, and fluazaindolizine have at least one heterocyclic ring in their structures. In view of the importance of heterocyclic structure in the development of nematicides, this paper reviews the research progress of nematicidal active compounds of heterocyclic in recent years, and discusses the structure–activity relationship (SAR) and mechanism of action. It is hoped that it can provide new inspiration for the development of new nematicides.