Nitric oxide (NO) is an important messenger molecule involved in many pathological and physiological processes within the mammalian body. Exogenous NO sources constitute a powerful way to supplement NO when the body can not generate enough for normal biological functions. In this article, general aspects on NO and NO donors are reviewed. Major focus is placed on recent developments of novel NO donors, NO releasing device(s) as well as innovative improvements to current NO donors. Finally, an outlook on future NO donor development is provided.