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Diabetic foot ulcers (DFUs) are one of the most challenging and prevalent refractory wounds associated with diabetes mellitus. It is characterized with long courses, high recurrence and disability rates. Hydrogel-based wound dressings have been demonstrated an effective and promising strategy for treating diabetic wounds. However, the complexity of the pathogenesis and microenvironment in diabetic wounds have restricted both the experts in functional hydrogels and clinicians. The former had no inspiration for clinical demands in the design process, and the latter was confused about clinical use because they knew little about the tremendous potential of the functional hydrogels. Here, important targets for DFUs treatment were listed, and effective products underlying the molecular pathogenesis were suggested for the designer. Then, the application of hydrogels into DFUs were classified in accordance with their functional targets and active ingredients. Hence, it is very convenient for clinicians to make a perfect option for different wounds. Finally, research gaps and future prospects for wound-healing hydrogels were presented. We envision that this review can inspire creativity and innovation in the development of hydrogel-based wound dressings for diabetic foot ulcer treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]