Abstract: The stick, as a core working component of an excavator, plays a crucial role in excavation operations but is highly susceptible to fatigue failure. Therefore, accurate evaluation of the service life and reliability of the stick is of great significance for ensuring the effective operation of construction machinery and preventing potential structural failures. Based on a comprehensive review of various fatigue life prediction methods for excavator working devices and considering the structural characteristics of the stick, this paper reviews the application of the nominal stress method, hot spot stress method, notch stress method, and equivalent structural stress method in fatigue life prediction of welded structures in excavator sticks. The applicability, advantages, and limitations of these methods are systematically compared, aiming to provide a scientific reference for the fatigue life assessment of excavator stick welded structures.