In the last decade, there has been an increase in interest in electrical discharge machining (EDM)'s innovative applications, with a focus on this technology's potential for surface modification. Along with the erosion of the work material during machining, the inherent nature of the operation also causes some tool material to be lost. The surface composition after machining and, subsequently, its characteristics are influenced by the formation of plasma channel, which is composed of material vapours from the eroding work material and tool electrode, and pyrolysis of dielectric. Under appropriate machining circumstances, deliberate material transfer can be accomplished by distributing metallic powders in the dielectric or utilizing composite electrodes, or by combining the two. This study provides an overview of the phenomena of surface modification by electric discharge machining as well as potential future directions for its use. Copyright © 2023, IGI Global. Copying or distributing in print or electronic forms without written permission of IGI Global is prohibited. © 2023 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.