This article describes the fabrication and characterization of magnetic nanowires, focusing on the magnetic properties of patterned arrays of metallic magnetic nanowires electrodeposited into the pores of anodized-alumina membranes. It also discusses the complex magnetization processes, both in isolated nanowires and in collectively patterned arrays. After providing an overview of the state-of-the-art on fabrication techniques of nanowires, the article considers the microstructure of magnetic nanowires and the magnetic properties of single nanowires. It then examines the collective behavior of arrays where the interactions among the magnetic entities play an important role, along with the transport properties of magnetic nanowires, the temperature-dependent effects (such as magnetoelastic-induced anisotropy), and the dynamic properties of magnetization such as ferromagnetic resonance characteristics and spin-wave excitations in ferromagnetic nanowires. Finally, it presents an overview of future research directions.