Chloroplast function largely depends on chloroplast proteins in the plant cell; most chloroplast proteins are encoded by the nuclear genome and are transported to the chloroplasts after translation in the cytosol. The proteins needed to be correctly sorted in the cytosol first, then targeted to various compartments of the chloroplasts by the translocon at the outer envelope membrane of chloroplasts (Toc) complex and/or the translocon at the inner envelope membrane of chloroplasts (Tic) complex. This review focuses on cytosolic factors possibly involved in sorting chloroplast proteins and how Toc and Tic components translocate chloroplast proteins.