This review outlines the recent published works on the fundamental studies and electrochemical applications of glassy carbon in both forms, i.e., planar glassy carbon (GC) and reticulated vitreous carbon (RVC) electrodes. Special attention is placed on our recent works for using glassy carbon electrode in hydrogen evolution reaction (HER), oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) and oxygen evolution reaction (OER), and the relevant literature on these are also reviewed. This includes the use of electrochemically pretreated GC and modified GC electrodes. The effects of surface modification via oxidation of the GC were outlined.