简介：Thepapershortlyreviewsthebasicdirectapproachesappliedinsearchingforviablesolutionstosolarfuelproduction.Thesearegenerallydistinguishedinmolecularandsemiconductor(non-molecular)systems,however,hybridstrategies,proposedrecently,havealsobeenincluded.Themostpromisingeffortsareconsidered,highlightingkeyaspectsandemergingcriticalissues.Specialattentionispaidtoaspectssuchaselectrodearchitecture,devicedesign,andmaindifferencesinthescientificvisionandchallengestodirectlyproducesolarfuels.Thisoverviewcouldbeusefultoorientatethereadersinthewidepanoramaofresearchactivitiesconcerningwatersplitting,naturalandartificialphotosynthesis,andsolarfuelproductionthroughtheidentificationofcommonaspects,specialtiesandpotentialitiesofthemanyinitiativesandapproachesthataredevelopingworldwideinthisfieldwiththefinalaimtomeetworldenergydemand.