The penetration of dc distributed power systems is increasing rapidly in electric power grids and other isolated systems to cater demand for cheap, clean, high quality, and uninterrupted power demand of modern society. DC systems are more efficient and suite better to integrate some of the renewable energy sources, storage units, and dc loads. A dc distributed power system usually consists of large number of power electronic converters connected in cascad0ed configuration to satisfy the power quality and voltage magnitude requirements of the sources and loads. Tightly-regulated power converters in the aforementioned settings exhibit negative incremental impedance and behave as constant power loads (CPLs), and tend to destabilize their feeder systems and upstream converters. The presence of CPLs reduces effective damping of the system leading to instability of the whole system and present significant challenge in the system operation and control. In-depth knowledge of the instability effects of constant power loads (CPLs), available stabilizing techniques and stability analysis methods, is imperious to the young researchers, system designers, system integrators, and practicing engineers working in the field of dc power systems and emerging applications of dc power. This paper is intended to fill this gape by documenting present state of the art and research needs in one article. Modeling, behaviour and effects of typical CPL are discussed and a review of stability criteria used to study the stability of dc power systems are reviewed with their merits and limitations. Furthermore, available literature is reviewed to summarize the techniques to compensate the CPL effect. Finally, discussion and recent challenges in the dc distribution systems. © 2017 Elsevier Ltd