Drosophila melanogaster has been established as a cornerstone for research into a wide array of subjects including diseases, development, physiology, and genetics. Thanks to an abundance of genetic tools, publicly available stocks, and databases, as well as their considerable biological similarity to mammalian systems, Drosophila has been solidied as a key model organism for elucidating many aspects of human disease. Herein is presented an overview of what makes Drosophila such an appealing model organism.