Ruthenium-indenylidene complexes are robust and efficient precatalysts for olefin metathesis reactions. This report provides an overview of recent developments in the synthesis of ruthenium-indenylidene complexes and their applications in olefin metathesis transformations. The construction of the indenylidene moiety will be discussed as well as the diverse series of Ru-based complexes including their performance and scope in catalysis. There is also an increasing interest for olefin metathesis steps in total syntheses; recent examples of syntheses of natural compounds using ruthenium-indenylidene complexes are also reviewed.