Along with the rapid increase of peneration level of grid connected photovoltaic (PV) generation systems, higher requirements of the optimized design and control performance of the grid connected PV systems both at user and grid sides are brought forward. The technology development status of grid-connected PV systems is given, and topological development of grid connected PV inverters is described and sorted into three types: isolated or non-isolated inverter, single-stage or two-stage inverter, and two-level or multi-level inverter. The future challenges and prospects are given on the coordinative control between static var compensator and grid connected PV inverter, the virtual synchronous generator control among grid connected PV inverters, and the technology of global synchronous pulse width modulation.