［Objective］The escalating global climate change and intensive human activities are subjecting ecosystems to immense pressure, posing formidable challenges to the worldwide achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030. As the fundamental pillars for sustainable ecosystem development, water, energy, and food make it imperative to enhance the synergistic development of the Water-Energy-Food-Ecology Nexus (WEFEN) to fulfill the Sustainable Development Goals.［Methods］Therefore, based on an extensive literature review and the Citespace tool, this study systematically reviews domestic and international research progress—including publication trends, international collaborations, hot topics, and research frontiers—following the clarification of nexus relationships, the water-energy-food nexus, and the WEFEN concept. It further summarizes WEFEN modeling research by categorizing methodologies into quantitative assessment, simulation and optimization, correlation analysis, and comprehensive evaluation. Additionally, key research priorities are identified from four perspectives: synergy, security, risk, and optimization.［Results］① Over the past two decades, publication output in the WEFE field has grown rapidly, accompanied by an ever-expanding network of international cooperation, reflecting its emergence as a focal point in global sustainability science. ② Although methodological approaches in WEFEN modeling have gradually diversified, they generally lack organic integration of socioeconomic drivers and natural processes, particularly in representing soft-system dimensions such as institutional and behavioral factors. ③ From the four key perspectives—synergy, security, risk, and optimization—research has often emphasized single objectives while oversimplifying ecological elements; moreover, analysis of social mechanisms and goal conflicts remains underdeveloped. ④ Current studies reveal significant regional disparities in the coupling characteristics and risk profiles of WEFEN systems across different geographical contexts.［Conclusion］Future research should prioritize understanding the impact mechanisms of compound extreme climate events on WEFEN stability, investigating the dynamic coupling and trade-offs within the Earth"s Critical Zone, and developing region-specific models tailored to geomorphological types, so as to enhance synergistic governance capabilities and application prospects of WEFEN systems.