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In the now standard LCDM cosmological model the origin of small-scale galactic structure is uniquely related to the power spectrum of primordial density fluctuations. It allows to calculate the mass function of dwarf dark matter halos expected to host dwarf galaxies around massive galaxies. The great discrepancy of this expectation with the observed number of dwarf galaxies in the local universe has led to the "missing satellites problem". I will discuss the development of resolutions to this discrepancy within LCDM framework, and alternative modifications to the nature of dark matter particle. I will also discuss other probes of small-scale structure, such as globular star clusters, which surprisingly appear to be excellent traces of dark matter structure.