The invention provides a portable forward photoacoustic microscopy based on optical resolution. The photoacoustic microscopy comprises a laser diode, a collimating lens, a focusing lens, protective glasses, a shell, a stage, an ultrasonic coupling liquid, an ultrasonic sensor, a lifting platform, a 3D motorized translation stage, a motor driving circuit, a computer, a data acquisition circuit, a signal pretreatment circuit, a clock circuit and a driving power circuit. According to the invention, miniature, inexpensive and easily maintained laser diode is applied to the field of optical resolution photoacoustic microscopy excitation. The portable forward photoacoustic microscope has the advantages of portable volume, high resolution, large imaging depth and simple signal post-treatment circuit, and is quite suitable for nondestructive testing of thin materials or tissue samples.