Lithium metal is a promising anode material owing to its very low electrochemical potential and ultrahigh specific capacity. However, the growth of lithium dendrites could result in a short lifespan, low coulombic efficiency, and potential safety hazards during the progress of lithium plating/stripping. These factors drastically hinder its application in lithium metal batteries. This review focuses on the use of three dimensional (3D) porous host frameworks to improve Li plating/stripping behaviors, accommodate the change in volume, and suppress or block lithium dendrite growth. Various 3D porous frameworks, including the conductive carbon-based, metal-based, and lithiophilic inorganic-compound frameworks are introduced and summarized in detail. The particular functions, relative developments, and optimized strategies of various 3D porous frameworks for lithium deposition/dissolution behaviors are discussed. Moreover, the challenges and promising developments in the field of Li metal anodes will be discussed at the end of this review.