Escherichia coli is a conditional pathogenic bacteria. Pathogenic E. coli is highly contagious and threatens human health. Rapid determination of the contaminant source of E. coli can help effectively control epidemic, to protect human health and reduce economy loss. Simple and efficient tracing techniques and typing methods are key to trace the source of pathengen. Common typing methods of E. coli include phenotypic typing and molecular typing. These typing methods have their own advantages and limitations, and have different application scopes. In this paper, phenotypic typing and molecular typing methods and the research progress of E. coli typing are reviewed. It will provide reference for the selection of traceability methods for pathogenic bacteria, and have the great significance for the prevention and control of epidemic spread caused by pathogenic bacteria.