  We present a review of the conceptual basis, present knowledge and recent
progress in the field of global analysis of nuclear parton distribution
functions (PDFs). After introducing the theoretical foundations and
methodological approaches for the extraction of nuclear PDFs from experimental
data, we discuss how different measurements in fixed-target and collider
experiments provide increasingly precise constraints on various aspects of
nuclear PDFs, including shadowing, antishadowing, the EMC effect, Fermi motion,
flavor separation, deuteron binding, target-mass and other higher-twist
effects. Particular emphasis is given to measurements carried out in
proton-lead collisions at the Large Hadron Collider, which have revolutionized
the global analysis during the past decade. These measurements include
electroweak-boson, jet, light-hadron, and heavy-flavor observables. Finally, we
outline the expected impact of the future Electron Ion Collider and discuss the
role and interplay of nuclear PDFs with other branches of nuclear, particle and
astroparticle physics.
