Molybdenum　disulfide　(MoS2)-based　materials　as　the　non-noble　metal　catalysts　have　displayed　the　potential　capability　to　drive　electrocatalytic　hydrogen　evolution　reaction　(HER)　for　green　hydrogen　production　along　with　their　intrinsic　activity,　tunable　electronic　properties,　low　cost,　and　abundance　reserves,　which　have　attracted　intensive　attention　as　alternatives　to　the　low-abundance　and　high-cost　platinum-based　catalysts.　However,　their　insufficient　catalytic　HER　activities　and　stability　are　the　major　challenges　for　them　to　become　practically　applicable.　Hereby,　the　MoS2-based　electrocatalysts　for　HER　are　comprehensively　reviewed　to　explain　the　fundamental　science　behind　the　manipulations　of　the　crystal　structure,　microstructure,　surface,　and　interface　of　MoS2　in　order　to　enhance　its　catalytic　performance　through　changing　the　electrical　conductivity,　the　number　of　active　sites,　surface　wettability,　and　the　Gibbs　free　energy　for　hydrogen　adsorption　(ΔGH).　Recent　studies　in　surface/interface　engineering,　such　as　phase　engineering,　defect　engineering,　morphology　design,　and　heterostructure　construction,　are　analyzed　to　reveal　the　state-of-the-art　strategies　for　designing　and　preparing　the　cost-effective　and　high-performance　MoS2-based　catalysts　through　optimizing　the　charge　transfer,　surface-active　sites,　ΔGH,　and　surface　hydrophilicity.　Lastly,　the　perspectives,　challenges,　and　future　research　directions　of　HER　electrocatalysis　are　also　given　to　facilitate　the　further　research　and　development　of　HER　catalysts.　©　2022　Science　Press　and　Dalian　Institute　of　Chemical　Physics,　Chinese　Academy　of　Sciences