With the aging of the population, the incidence of degenerative scoliosis(DS) is increasing for middle-aged and older adults, and more patients are opting for surgical correction to improve their quality of life. In the diagnosis and treatment of DS, a suitable classification plays an important role in the evaluation of patients’ prognosis and helping surgeons to standardize and systematize the treatment. There have been over ten classifications for DS in the last two decades like SRS-Schwab classification, Lenke-Silva classification and MISDEF classification, but a widely accepted classification is still scarce. This article reviews, analyzes, and evaluates some important classifications, and then summarizes the elements that should be included in an ideal classification, in order to promote the formation of an ideal classification and help surgeons choose reasonable and detailed correction ways.