In the past few years, two-dimensional (2D) transition metal dichalcogenide (TMDC) materials have attracted increasing attention of the research community, owing to their unique electronic and optical properties, ranging from the valley–spin coupling to the indirect-to-direct bandgap transition when scaling the materials from multi-layer to monolayer. These properties are appealing for the development of novel electronic and optoelectronic devices with important applications in the broad fields of communication, computation, and healthcare. One of the key features of the TMDC family is the indirect-to-direct bandgap transition that occurs when the material thickness decreases from multilayer to monolayer, which is favorable for many photonic applications. TMDCs have also demonstrated unprecedented flexibility and versatility for constructing a wide range of heterostructures with atomic-level control over their layer thickness that is also free of lattice mismatch issues. As a result, layered TMDCs in combination with other 2D materials have the potential for realizing novel high-performance optoelectronic devices over a broad operating spectral range. In this article, we review the recent progress in the synthesis of 2D TMDCs and optoelectronic devices research. We also discuss the challenges facing the scalable applications of the family of 2D materials and provide our perspective on the opportunities offered by these materials for future generations of nanophotonics technology.