Corrosion is a natural process motivated by energy considerations that create a critical problem that affects the industry, while inhibition is a defense against corrosive attacks on metal. To remove the oxide from the metal surface, mineral acids like HCl and H2SO4 are most commonly used in pickling baths. As a result, many studies have been done to create inhibitors that will lessen the effects of corrosion. Recently researchers have focused on discovering green inhibitors as replacements for conventional inhibitors to avoid toxicity. Among other options, biopolymers and carbohydrate polymers can effectively mitigate the corrosion process of alloys/metals. This review will describe the meaning of corrosion, followed by a recent survey on cellulose, its derivatives, and different techniques for evaluating corrosion inhibitors. Then, we describe an overview of applications as corrosion inhibitors for metal corrosion. Also, we conclude with perspectives on recommendations and challenges for future developments.