Vinylene-linked　covalent　organic　frameworks　(COFs)　are　promising　photocatalysts　owing　to　their　fully　conjugated　skeletons　that　facilitate　charge　carrier　mobility.　Constructing　donor-acceptor　(D-A)　architectures　could　further　enhance　photoinduced　charge　generation　and　transport,　thus　promoting　photocatalysis.　Therefore,　three　D-A-type　vinylene-linked　COFs　were　fabricated　via　Knoevenagel　polymerization　for　efficient　photocatalysis.　By　varying　the　donor　moieties　from　phenyl　to　2,5-dimethylbenzene　and　3,3＇-dimethyl-1,1＇-biphenyl　in　the　skeletons,　the　light-harvesting,　opti-cal-bandgap,　and　charge-transfer　properties　of　the　COFs　were　precisely　regulated.　All　three　COFs　exhibited　attractive　photocatalytic　hydrogen　evolution　rates　(HERs)　upon　visible-light　irradiation,　especially　that　fabricated　using　2,4,6-trimethyl-1,3,5-triazine　(TM)　and　3,3＇-dimethyl[1,1＇-biphenyl]-4,4＇-dicarboxaldehyde　(DMA,　TM-DMA-COF).　TM-DMA-COF　exhibited　the　strongest　D-A　interactions,　excellent　charge-carrier　separation　and　transfer　kinetics,　and　a　re-duced　energy　barrier　for　H-2　formation.　Thus,　it　afforded　the　highest　HER　of　4300　mu　mol　h(-1)　gcat(-1),　surpassing　those　of　most　state-of-the-art　COF　photocatalysts.　This　study　provides　a　simple　and　effective　protocol　for　modulating　the　photocatalytic　activities　of　COFs　at　the　molecular　level　and　an　interesting　insight　into　the　relationship　between　structural　design　and　photocatalytic　performance.　(c)　2023,　Dalian　Institute　of　Chemical　Physics,　Chinese　Academy　of　Sciences.　Published　by　Elsevier　B.V.　All　rights　reserved.