Functional gastrointestinal disorders are highly prevalent worldwide and may have an important impact on the quality of life of affected patients. In addition, they are associated with a major socio-economic impact. In 2016 the Rome IV criteria were published that provided an update of the 2006 published Rome III criteria for functional gastrointestinal disorders. This article provides an overview of the current classification of functional gastrointestinal disorders and highlights the most important changes incorporated into the Rome IV criteria.