This review explores rational design strategies for electrode materials offered by nanoscale approaches aimed at achieving high energy and power density in energy storage devices. The focus is on delving into the underlying concepts and crucial factors impacting the energy storage electrode performance to outline, from these concepts, suitable ways to improve the electrode performance, moving beyond a mere summary of structures or materials. Therefore, the importance of a comprehensive approach considering the impact of both the electrode structure and the material type on the electrochemical processes is remarked. These factors are examined through illustrative examples of some materials, which were categorized by structural and compositional attributes rather than material type. The approach followed in this review is intended to offer valuable insights to guide the formulation of effective electrode designs for advanced energy storage systems.