Propane　dehydrogenation　(PDH)　serves　as　a　promising　route　to　produce　propylene,　and　efforts　have　been　made　to　design　the　attractive　catalysts　with　comparable　performance　with　the　existing　Pt-　and　CrOx-based　catalysts.　The　non-noble　metal　Co-based　catalysts　with　well-defined　structure　is　the　one　of　the　potential　candidates　due　to　satisfied　activity　of　Co　active　sites　in　the　selective　activation　of　alkane　C–H　bonds.　In　this　review,　the　state-of-the-art　Co-based　light　alkane　dehydrogenation　catalysts　are　summarized　with　respect　to　their　synthesis　strategies,　structure–performance　relationships　and　catalytic　mechanisms.　The　strategies　for　tailoring　structure　and　property　of　the　Co　active　sites　at　Co–support　interfaces　in　various　catalysts　are　described　in　terms　of　the　effects　of　supports,　promoters　and　pre-treatments.　The　key　PDH　reaction　steps　are　also　clarified　including　the　propane　pre-activation　and　C–H　cleavage,　propylene　desorption　and　hydrogen　recombination.　Furthermore,　the　perspectives　are　discussed　for　the　current　state　and　future　opportunities　of　the　catalytic　PDH　reactions　over　the　Co　catalysts.　This　review　is　expected　to　provide　insights　into　the　design　of　the　catalyst　structure　and　understanding　of　the　catalytic　mechanism　for　promoting　the　metal-catalyzed　light　alkanes　dehydrogenation.　©　2025　Elsevier　B.V.