Engineering metallic nanoparticles constitutes a powerful route to design next-generation electrocatalysts to be used in future energy and environmental industries. In this mini review, we cover recent advances in metallic nanoparticle electrocatalysis, with a focus on understanding how the parameters such as particle sizes, crystalline structures, shapes, compositions, nanoscale alloying and interfaces influence their electrocatalytic activity and selectivity. In addition, this review highlights viable approaches for fabrication of nanoparticle-based electrocatalytic electrodes and discusses their influences on the overall catalytic performances. Finally, we discuss the opportunities and challenges ahead to program these key parameters to achieve highly durable designer electrocatalysts in future.