Abstract: In the digital age, software algorithms imbued with artificial intelligence and other next-generation information technologies serve as crucial factors accelerating the digital transformation of the manufacturing sector. The concept of algorithm traceability has been proposed based on the distinct characteristics manifested by measuring instruments and standards during metrological value transfer and traceability in various stages of the industrial revolution, along with the impact of software algorithms within measuring instruments on the accuracy and reliability of metrological values. The objective of this concept is to quantitatively assess the output values of software algorithms during their execution from a metrological traceability perspective, thereby ensuring their precision and dependability. This paper offers a comprehensive exposition of algorithm traceability, including its definition, reference standards, methodologies, and traceability outcomes. Current research trends in algorithm traceability are discussed, laying a theoretical groundwork for further exploration into metrological applications of algorithm traceability.