Review of the theoretical heavy-ion physics

Abstract

In this contribution we briefly give an overview of the theoretical models used to describe experimental data from heavy-ion collisions from $\sqrt{s_{NN}} \approx $ 4 GeV to ultra-relativistic energies of $\sqrt{s_{NN}} \approx $ 5 TeV. We highlight the successes and problems of statistical or hadron-resonance gas models, address the results of macroscopic approaches like hydrodynamics (in different hybrid combinations) as well as the results from microscopic transport approaches in comparison to experimental data. Finally, the transport coefficients like shear $\eta$ and bulk viscosity $\zeta$ - entering the macroscopic models - are confronted with results from lattice QCD in thermal equilibrium for vanishing chemical potential.