Multiple-port dc–dc converters are characterized by a variety of kinds and a large number of circuit topologies. In this article, we aim to reveal the intrinsic relationship among the topologies of multiple-port dc–dc converters and propose the topology derivation method. First, the voltage- and current-type ports are summarized from basic dc–dc converters, and the approach of converting current-type ports into voltage-type ports is discussed. Then, according to Kirchhoff's law, four types of multiple-input multiple-output converters named input-port-series output-port-series, input-port-series output-port-parallel, input-port-parallel output-port-series, and input-port-parallel output-port-parallel are presented. Second, the topology derivation method of multiple-port bidirectional dc–dc converters based on the voltage-type ports is studied in terms of power flow paths in various operation modes, and then the topology optimization method is proposed. Particularly, a flow diagram for the optimal design procedure is given to guide the topology derivation for some specific requirements. Based on the proposed approach, a family of multiple-port dc–dc converters can be derived, which provides lots of viable candidates for practical engineering. Furthermore, one derived converter named the parallel-type three-port bidirectional buck converter is analyzed in three operation modes to demonstrate the topology derivation. Finally, the effectiveness of the above theoretical analysis is verified by those experimental results.