Artificial designer nucleases targeting specific DNA sequences open up a new field for reverse genetics study. The rapid development of engineered endonucleases (EENs) enables targeted genome modification theoretically in any species. The construction of transcription activator-like effector nucleases (TALENs) is simpler with higher specificity and less toxicity than zinc-finger nucleases (ZFNs). Here, we summarized the recent progresses and prospects of TALEN technology, with an emphasis on its structure, function, and construction strategies, as well as a collection of species and genes that have been successfully modified by TALENs, especially the application in zebrafish.