Abstract: The precise actuation and control of underground coal mining equipment are critical to achieving intelligent mining, as their performance directly impacts both the extraction efficiency and coordinated control at the working face. To further improve the precision and reliability of mining equipment actuators, a systematic review of the state-of-the-art, applicable conditions, and bottleneck issues in linear actuator technology is essential for driving the intelligent advancement of coal mining systems. This paper concentrates on three types of linear actuators—hydraulic cylinders, digital hydraulic cylinders, and electric cylinders—providing a comprehensive explanation of their structural configurations, operating principles, and control characteristics. In light of the challenging underground environment, which includes heavy-duty operations, high dust concentrations, and explosive atmospheres, a comparative analysis is presented regarding the suitability and limitations of each type of actuator in terms of thrust capacity, control accuracy, environmental adaptability, and system complexity. The study identifies existing bottlenecks: conventional hydraulic systems pose difficulties for closed-loop control; digital hydraulic cylinders encounter technical barriers related to explosion-proof certification and operational reliability in mining settings; and electric cylinders continue to face challenges in reliability and practical implementation under high-thrust conditions. Building on this analysis, the paper outlines future development directions for mining linear actuators, emphasizing actuator digitization, integration of digital twin technology, and coordinated control of equipment clusters. These advances are anticipated to enhance high-precision control, intelligent maintenance, and system integration, thereby providing valuable insights for related technological research and engineering applications.e prospected, providing references for related technology research and engineering applications.