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Conversion of solar energy into hydrogen is one the most promising renewable energy technology which is stimulated after detection of increasing global energy consumption and climate changes by the emission of fossil fuel. Photocatalytic water splitting use semiconductor materials having the electronic structure suitable for charge (electron and hole) injection for water decomposition to produce H-2 and O-2. Many inorganic materials are now using as active photocatalyst for water reduction since artificial photocatalytic water splitting has discovered for the very first time in 1971. Beyond, metal oxides, sulfides, and nitrides are the common photocatalytic semiconductor. To material science, research in this compass has brought huge grip that commits to the development of visible light active substances progressively. In this review along with the introduction of solar fuel, photocatalyst and photocatalytic water splitting, up-and-coming photocatalysts for solar-to-fuel conversion and photocatalytic purification of environment are discussed. We address TiO2 based, carbon based and two dimensional materials based photocatalyst for solar fuel production and waste treatment.