The last decade has seen the rise of the molecular approach to self‑incompatibility in almond, but not so successful with self‑compatibility, which remains unmapped in the almond genome. The concept of autogamy has emerged as closely linked to self‑compatibility in order to have a good agronomical performance of a self‑compatible cultivar in single cultivar orchards in the absence of pollinating insects. New self‑compatible forms have been identified among distant almond populations, thus broadening the possibilities of utilization of other sources of self‑compatibility in almond breeding. All these aspects are reviewed in order to focus the different breeding programmes aiming to include self‑compatibility in almond, as well as to mention the new cultivars released from these programmes. Some questions, however, especially the transmission of self‑compatibility in certain crosses, still waite for an adequate answer. On the other side, the transference of some self‑compatible cultivars to the growers has been highly successful for the improvement of almond production.