  The field of active matter in general and microswimming in particular has
experienced a rapid and ongoing expansion over the last decade. A particular
interesting aspect is provided by artificial autonomous microswimmers
constructed from individual active and inactive functional components into
self-propelling complexes. Such modular microswimmers may exhibit directed
motion not seen for each individual component. In this review, we focus on the
establishment and recent developments in the modular approach to microswimming.
We introduce the bound and dynamic prototypes, show mechanisms and types of
modular swimming and discuss approaches to control the direction and speed of
modular microswimmers. We conclude by highlighting some challenges faced by
researchers as well as promising directions for future research in the realm of
modular swimming.
