Ionic　liquids　(ILs)　have　attracted　continuous　interest　because　of　their　remarkable　physicochemical　properties,　including　high　thermal　and　chemical　stability,　nonflammability,　negligible　vapor　pressure,　designable　cation/anion　pairs,　electrical　and　ionic　conductivity,　low　melting　points,　and　affinity　towards　many　compounds.　These　properties　make　ionic　liquids　valuable　in　the　creation　of　new　materials　and　new　processes　throughout　almost　the　entire　field　of　materials　chemistry.　An　emerging　field　is　the　use　of　ionic　liquids　in　carbon-based　nanomaterials.　Initially,　ionic　liquids　were　used　as　self-templating　carbon　sources　for　the　generation　of　unusual　carbon　materials　in　which　homogeneous　heteroatom　doping　(e.g.,　N,　B,　S)　can　be　accomplished　fairly　easily.　Later,　ionic　liquids　were　recognized　as　suitable　for　use　in　the　conversion　of　biomass　into　porous　carbon　materials,　acting　as　both　reaction　media　and　porosity-directing　regulator.　Such　applications　open　the　door　towards　the　synthesis　and　accurate　tuning　of　carbon　nanostructures,　for　example,　pore　structure,　morphology,　heteroatom　doping,　and　surface　functionality.　In　addition,　the　hybridization　of　ionic　liquids　and　nanocarbons　enables　the　development　of　composites　by　combining　the　properties　of　the　ionic　liquid　(e.g.,　ionic　conductivity　or　catalytic　activity)　and　those　of　a　host　(e.g.,　chemical　or　mechanical　stability).　Currently,　although　the　research　of　this　topic　is　rapidly　expanding,　the　rational　design　and　synthesis　of　carbon-based　materials,　particularly　their　applications　in　energy　storage　and　transformation,　is　still　in　its　infancy.　In　this　review,　we　focus　on　several　aspects　of　ionic　liquid　derived　carbons　with　the　aim　of　shedding　light　on　this　new　topic:　1)　Ionic　liquids　as　an　advanced　medium　for　carbon　synthesis,　2)　ionogels　derived　from　nanocarbon,　3)　ionic　liquids　as　fluid　precursors　for　functional　carbons,　and　4)　ionic　liquid　derived　carbons　for　heterogeneous　catalysis.