X-rays have been widely used for microstructural characterization of materials due to their significant penetration ability and non-destructive sample preparation. Coherent X-ray diffraction imaging, as a promising technique currently under rapid development, is extending the methodology of X-ray crystallography to allow 2D and 3D structural determination of noncrystalline objects. Since the first experimental demonstration in 1999, coherent diffraction imaging has been widely used in nanoscience, materials and biology. Herein, I illustrate a few recent applications of coherent diffraction microscopy to imaging single particles and biomaterials, such as nanocrystals, bacteria, and cancer cells etc. with coherent X-rays from 3rd generation synchrotron radiation and X-ray free electron laser. These results indicate that coherent diffraction imaging together with new sources can provide opportunities for nondestructive and quantitative 3D imaging of a wide range of materials.