Abstract: The review is devoted to the analysis of the state-of-art of the static version of headspace analysis (HSA), one of the most popular methods of sample preparation for determining, first of all, volatile organic substances in liquid and solid samples. The theoretical foundations of the method, its main regularities, and fields of application are considered. The main trends in the development of static HSA are noted: the expansion of the range of test samples and analytes and the emergence and development of combined sample preparation options based on the combination of HSA and adsorption preconcentration of analytes from the extractant gas. Technical means of HSA automation, that is, various options for liquid and solid-phase microextraction, are actively developing.