Abstract: Metal-organic framework (MOF), as a new type of porous crystal material, can be used as nanoparticle and carrier because of its high porosity, diverse structure and controllable chemical structure. Functional coatings prepared based on MOF materials can combine the advantages of MOF and have a wide range of applications, but there are not many papers on the application and mechanism of coatings based on MOF materials. The research status of MOF-based coatings at home and abroad was introduced, focusing on the anti-icing/de-icing applications of MOF-based coatings (superhydrophobic surfaces and smooth liquid-injected porous surfaces (SLIPS)), anti-corrosion applications (MOF materials as nanoparticles and carriers) and antibacterial applications (based on metal ion release, photodynamic therapy (PDT) and photothermal therapy (PTT)), and the anti-icing mechanisms of different coatings (reducing the solidification temperature of water and reducing ice adhesion) were summarized. Antiseptic mechanism (direct physical barrier or formation of compounds to achieve the barrier effect) and antibacterial mechanism (metal ions with weak toxicity to eukaryotic cells achieve antibacterial effect, reactive oxygen species (ROS) are activated under light irradiation to achieve antibacterial effect, and heat is generated by absorbing external light, and antibacterial effect is achieved with increasing temperature). The key challenges, potential applications and development prospects of MOF-based coatings are prospected.