The hepatic venous system serves as the key anatomical landmark for the division and segmentation of the liver. The approach along the hepatic veins is one of the key steps to improve the accuracy and efficacy of anatomical liver resection. The detailed anatomical basis involved in liver resection via the hepatic vein approach includes the course and variations of the left, middle and right hepatic veins and their branches; the key technical points for performing liver resection via the hepatic vein approach include the approach and anatomy of the hepatic veins, exposure techniques, identification and protection of inter-segmental veins, and response to the differences between the hepatic vein drainage area and the portal vein drainage area. With the development of high-resolution multimodal navigation technology, the understanding of the portal vein drainage area and the veins between drainage areas has reached the sub-liver segment level, which will further enhance the accuracy of liver resection surgery.