Ceramic thermal barrier coatings (TBCs) are aimed to protect the surface of metallic components of turbine engines exposed to extreme temperature as well as to environmental attack promoted by oxygen and molten deposits. Their application allows to extend component life and can improve thermal capability and efficiency of next-generation engines. TBC design includes detailed analysis of materials' composition and TBC architecture. Basic requirements are demanded in terms of low thermal conductivity and high phase stability, whereas the porous and stress compliant microstructure should preserve high-temperature performance, since thermal cycling typically promotes partial sintering and thermal expansion mismatch between coating and substrate, thus assisting typical detrimental effects such as cracking, delamination and spallation. Yttria stabilized zirconia is the most common ceramic for industrial TBC manufacturing, under a large variety of operating environments. During the last decades, many ceramic oxides with potential enhanced properties were investigated and fabricated TBCs were tested at laboratory scale. However, prolonged high-temperature service requires further validation steps to successfully apply novel systems in real engines. This chapter explores state-of-the-art and recent developments in the matter of TBCs, focusing on the properties of novel compositions and TBC architectures, taking in account the main mechanisms inducing their in-service failure.