Energy is one of the major issues of today and with the advancement of technology, it will become an even more significant challenge in the future. Obtaining energy from clean sources is of great importance in minimizing global warming and other environmental impacts. At this point, the use of nuclear power plants, which operate with zero carbon emissions, comes into play. Nuclear power plants are generally facilities that produce large amounts of electricity. In recent years, small modular reactors (SMRs) have begun to be developed as an alternative to conventional high-power nuclear power plants, characterized by smaller sizes, modular designs, and shorter construction times. Small modular reactors can serve not only as electricity sources for residential areas and industrial zones, but also for purposes such as seawater desalination and powering icebreaker ships. In this study, the fundamental characteristics, current design approaches, and application areas of small modular reactors which are considered the energy of the future are examined.