Fringe projection profilometry (FPP) can well balance the system flexibility and the measurement accuracy, which is the mainstream technology of optical 3D imaging and shape measurement. When working with FPP, first an appropriate system should be established, and then the system parameters describing the system model should be determined via system calibration, finally the 3D shape is generated with 3D reconstruction by using the calibrated system model. System calibration and system model are tightly coupled, which have a direct impact on the performance of 3D imaging. The principle of FPP can be divided into two categories, i.e. the phase-3D mapping and the binocular stereo vision. This paper reviewed the system model and calibration strategy of FPP, which corresponded to the above two categories. Finally the method and basis for the accuracy evaluation of FPP were summarized.