Advances in supercapacitors are delivering better-than-ever energy-storage options and, in some cases, they can compete against more-popular batteries in a range of markets. There exist a wide number of carbon nanomaterials suitable for being used as electrodes in supercapacitors, where it withstands the carbide derived carbons (CDCs), because of their highly tunable porosity and selected surface characteristics. In this work we will perform a full overview of the most recent advances in carbide and oxycarbide derived carbons obtained from the sol gel method and preceramic polymers and subsequently etched either in dry or wet environments to extract the carbon phase out from the glassy network. In the wet etching procedures, mesoporous carbons with easily accessible pores to the electrolyte can be obtained whereas dry etching lead to the obtaining of extremely high surface areas in the form of micropores. By incorporating metal salts and alcoxydes to the preceramic network allows obtaining different carbon phases with specific surface areas comprised between 265 and 2500 m2/g. Moreover, depending on the metal content and the pyrolysis temperature, the CDC present pores with different geometries and defects which are going to determine the electrochemical characteristics. Here, we will report on the electrochemical performance of the CDCs in both alkaline and acid electrolytes and the correlation of their textural characteristics, structural parameters and surface active functional groups.