Noise immune cavity enhanced optical heterodyne molecular spectroscopy (NICE-OHMS) can provide the highest detection sensitivity in the field of laser absorption spectroscopy by combining two techniques of frequency modulation spectroscopy and cavity enhanced absorption spectroscopy. The principle and implementation process of NICE-OHMS are introduced. Then, the historical development of NICE-OHMS is overviewed, which mainly focuses on the key parameters, such as the applied laser source and the cavity finesse used by each research group and their obtained detection sensitivity. Finally, the limitation factors of the detection sensitivity of NICE-OHMS are analyzed, and the related solutions are provided.