The　expected　depletion　of　fossil　fuel　reserves　and　its　serious　environmental　impact　have　emphasised　the　issue　of　sustainable　development　of　the　human　society.　Solar　hydrogen　by　photocatalytic　water　splitting　is　a　promising　alternative　to　conventional　fossil　fuels,　which　is　of　great　potential　to　relieve　the　energy　and　environmental　issues　and　bring　an　energy　revolution　in　a　clean　and　sustainable　manner.　This　review　is　going　to　make　a　brief　introduction　of　the　basic　principles　of　photocatalytic　water　splitting　and　the　concept　of　different　kinds　of　water　splitting　systems.　Various　engineering　strategies　for　searching　higher　efficiency　of　water　splitting　based　on　the　photocatalytic　processes,　including　light　harvesting,　charge　carriers　separation　and　co-catalysts　loading,　have　been　outlined　and　discussed　with　selected　typical　examples　on　some　elaborately　designed　semiconductor-based　photocatalytic　systems.　Moreover,　recent　impressive　progresses　and　advancements　for　photocatalytic　water　splitting　with　some　promising　materials　are　presented.　Finally,　this　review　is　concluded　with　a　summary　and　perspective　in　this　hot　area　of　research.