A selected review is given of comparisons of experimental data for low‐mass nuclear systems with results of calculations using microscopic cluster models. Stress is on the mass‐4, ‐7, and ‐8 systems. Topics include influence of components of the nucleon‐nucleon force, some consequences of the Pauli principle, effects of the Coulomb‐exchange interaction, specific distortion, absorption in elastic scattering, and future needs and directions. Some as yet unpublished results are presented.