Halophilic bacteria have been a focal point of biotechnology research over the past seven decades due to their exceptional adaptability to extreme environments and broad application potential. This study aimed to analyze the evolution of halophilic research from 1955 to 2024 through a scientometric approach to identify trends, challenges, and future opportunities. The methodology involved analyzing 1,227 Scopus-indexed publications using bibliometric tools (VOSviewer and Biblioshiny). Data were categorized into distinct time periods (1955–1999, 2000–2009, 2010–2019, and 2020–2024). Analyses encompassed publication distribution and growth, journal productivity and impact, author contributions, citation metrics, thematic foci, collaboration networks, and emerging research trends. The findings revealed three evolutionary phases: a characterization phase (1955–1999), dominated by taxonomic and physiological studies; an application phase (2000–2019), emphasizing bioremediation and biopolymer production; and an engineering phase (2020–2024), marked by omics-driven approaches and synthetic biology. Cluster analysis identified three key research domains: cellular adaptation mechanisms, industrial applications, and metabolic engineering. Persistent challenges include limitations in genetic toolkits and scalability hurdles. Critical recommendations for advancing halophilic biotechnology include: (1) engineering microbial consortia for hypersaline industrial waste remediation, (2) exploring bioactive compounds from halophilic archaea, and (3) developing halophilic biosensors for real-time environmental monitoring. These interconnected avenues hold synergistic potential to drive sustainable biotechnology innovations leveraging halophilic resources.