The non-backtracking operator is a non-Hermitian matrix associated with an undirected graph. It has become a powerful tool in the spectral analysis of random graphs. Recently, many new results for sparse Hermitian random matrices have been proved for the corresponding non-backtracking operator and translated into a statement of the original matrices through the Ihara-Bass formula. In another direction, efficient algorithms based on the non-backtracking matrix have successfully reached optimal sample complexity in many sparse low-rank estimation problems. I will talk about my recent work with the help of the non-backtracking operator. This includes the Bai-Yin law for sparse random rectangular matrices, hypergraph community detection, and tensor completion.