The production of waste activated sludge (WAS) in China is substantial, leading to high disposal costs and difficulties. The utilization of its resources holds significant importance, especially in the context of escalating energy demand and "Dual Carbon Goals" . As a "waste-to-energy" technology, anaerobic fermentation facilitates the recovery of resources from WAS, including the production of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) that possess high market value and wide-ranging applications. Due to WAS's low hydrolysis elficiency and poor biodegradability, researchers commonly employ pretreatment methods to enhance anaerobic fermentation eficiency. However, existing studies primarily focus on the elficiency of acidogenic fermentation, lacking a systematic analysis of the underlying mechanisms and optimal regulatory methods to inerease SCFAs yield through various pretreatment approaches. Therefore, this study systematically analyzes the efficiency and underlying mechanisms of enhanced SCFAs production from sludge anaerbic fermentation using different pretreatment methods (physical, chemical, and biological). lt discusses the effects of key process parameters such as pH, temperature, solid residence time, organic load rate, and reactor type on the anaerobic fermentation of WAS, and predicts the environmental and economic aspects of WAS anaerobic fermentation. This work aims to provide a reference for effcient sludge resource management.