Welding distortion is an unavoidable issue due to localized expansion and contraction during the heating and cooling cycles, and has a negative effect on the fabrication process. However, mitigating weld distortion to meet product requirements is a challenging task, because welding shrinkage can't be prevented, only controlled. This paper provides a comprehensive literature review of various techniques to reduce and optimize the deformation induced by welding in the design stage and manufacturing process. Finite element numerical analysis methods are usually employed to predict welding distortion, and can cost less than actual experiments. The review of these approaches is useful to fully understand the main mechanisms used to mitigate weldinginduced distortion, and for choosing the most suitable method to minimize deformation based on realistic fabrication requirements.