# Deep Metric Learning for Few-Shot Image Classification: A Review of Recent Developments Source: [Deep Metric Learning for Few-Shot Image Classification: A Review of Recent Developments]() Collection index: [llms.txt]() Data updated: 2025-10-26T00:19:37.765Z Authors: Xiaoxu Li, Xiaochen Yang, Zhanyu Ma, Jing-Hao Xue Published: 2021-05-17T20:27:59.000Z ## Abstract Few-shot image classification is a challenging problem that aims to achieve the human level of recognition based only on a small number of training images. One main solution to few-shot image classification is deep metric learning. These methods, by classifying unseen samples according to their distances to few seen samples in an embedding space learned by powerful deep neural networks, can avoid overfitting to few training images in few-shot image classification and have achieved the state-of-the-art performance. In this paper, we provide an up-to-date review of deep metric learning methods for few-shot image classification from 2018 to 2022 and categorize them into three groups according to three stages of metric learning, namely learning feature embeddings, learning class representations, and learning distance measures. With this taxonomy, we identify the novelties of different methods and problems they face. We conclude this review with a discussion on current challenges and future trends in few-shot image classification. ## Recorded benchmark results A research result applies to its stated dataset, split, metric and evaluation configuration. Compare like-for-like settings, preserve the metric's unit and direction, and distinguish paper-reported results from independent reproduction. The best result recorded here is not a claim of exhaustive, current global coverage. ## Original sources and implementation [Original paper]() [PDF]()