As a serine/threonine protein kinase, receptor-interacting protein 1 (RIP1) plays an important role in regulating the pathways in programmed cell death. Multifaceted human diseases (e.g., autoimmune diseases, inflammatory diseases, neurodegenerative diseases, and tumors) are closely related to RIP1 kinase. Therefore, small-molecule RIP1 inhibitors with precise targeting and good penetrability have recently been used in potentially therapeutic methods, attracting extensive researcher interest. GSK2982772, developed by GlaxoSmithKline (GSK), became the world's first RIP1 inhibitor approved for clinical research in 2014. Nine clinical trials assessing GSK2982772 have been performed. The most recent direction in RIP1 inhibitor development has been focused on RIP1 small-molecule inhibitors with higher potency, selectivity, and metabolic stability. In this Perspective, considering the structure, biological functions, and disease relevance of RIP1, we summarize the recent research progress in RIP1 small-molecule inhibitor development based on different binding modalities and discuss prospective strategies for designing additional RIP1 therapeutic agents.