The invention of passive solid-state mode-locked lasers has promoted the rapid development of high-precision timing detection technology. In the past three decades, a variety of timing detection techniques have emerged to reduce the measurement noise floor, and keep approaching the high-frequency timing jitter measurement limit of mode-locked lasers (far less than 1 fs), with significant improvements in terms of the resolution, robustness, stability, power consumption and many other aspects. In this paper, different kinds of optical timing detection methods including direct detection, BOC technology, AOM detection, optical heterodyne technology are reviewed. The advantages and application scenarios of various timing detectors are discussed, and the important role of high-precision timing detection technology in large-scale scientific instruments such as coherent pulse synthesis and free electron lasers are introduced. Finally, the development direction of optical timing detectors is prospected. The purpose of this paper is to provide technical reference for promoting the development of high precision and cutting-edge fields such as attosecond science and timing synchronization by summarizing various optical timing detection technologies.