To　fabricate　an　efficient　two-component　Z-scheme　system　for　visible　light　induced　overall　water　splitting,　CdS/WO3　nanocomposites,　with　cubic　CdS　nanoparticles　grown　on　the　surface　of　hexagonal　WO3　nanorods,　were　prepared　via　a　facile　precipitation　of　Cd2+　with　S2−　in　the　presence　of　pre-obtained　hexagonal　WO3　nanorods.　MnO2　and　MoS2,　the　co-catalysts　for　O2　and　H2　generation　respectively,　were　selectively　deposited　on　WO3　and　CdS　in　the　CdS/WO3　nanocomposites.　The　resultant　MoS2–CdS/WO3–MnO2　composites　show　photocatalytic　activity　for　overall　water　splitting　under　visible　light,　with　an　optimized　performance　observed　over　2.0%MoS2-0.2　CdS/WO3-1.0%MnO2.　The　visible　light　induced　overall　water　splitting　over　MoS2–CdS/WO3–MnO2　nanocomposites　can　be　attributed　to　the　presence　of　a　Z-scheme　charge　transfer　pathway　in　the　CdS/WO3　nanocomposites,　ie,　the　transfer　of　the　photo-generated　electrons　from　the　CB　of　WO3　to　the　VB　of　CdS　to　recombine　with　the　photo-generated　holes　through　an　efficient　interface　between　cubic　CdS　and　hexagonal　WO3.　The　left　photo-generated　holes　in　VB　of　WO3　and　the　photo-generated　electrons　in　CB　of　CdS　therefore　can　accomplish　the　water　oxidation　and　water　reduction　simultaneously,　with　the　assistance　of　the　surface　deposited　cocatalysts　(MnO2　and　MoS2).　This　work　demonstrated　the　great　potential　of　fabricating　the　two-component　direct　Z-scheme　photocatalytic　systems　for　overall　water　splitting　from　two　semiconductors　with　a　staggered　band　structure.　©　2020　Hydrogen　Energy　Publications　LLC