This Thematic Series summarizes the latest research on the relevant aspects of chemical vapor deposition polymerization, including the formation of nanostructures and vapor-based polymer coatings and thin films. This Thematic Series highlights the broad utility of polymers deposited from the vapor phase used in the development of novel coating materials for a manifold of applications. As demonstrated in these peer-reviewed works, vapor-based techniques can be used to create chemically or topographically structured coatings on various substrates, which is of interest for example in the development of sensors and biomaterials.