Absorption spectroscopy and Raman scattering spectroscopy are powerful detection techniques widely used for sensitive and specific detection of gaseous and liquid analytes. Recent advances in nanophotonics including integrated light sources, detectors, and optical waveguides are opening the door for their miniaturization, all the way down to chip-scale devices. In this chapter, we provide a detailed review of the latest advances in waveguide-based absorption and Raman spectroscopic sensors. Special focus is on dedicated waveguide designs as well as on the use of enrichment claddings as a strategy for further sensitivity enhancement at the microscale. © 2023 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved