Non-noble metal-based catalysts, especially stable ones, have gained increasing attentions in the field of electronically catalytic hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). In this work, an N-doped carbon confined Co–Ni alloy with reduced graphene oxide (rGO) decoration (CoNi@N-C/rGO) was fabricated for HER. The prepared catalyst exhibited excellent HER activity in an acidic electrolyte (Tafel slope of ～ 133.7 mV). The results showed that the enhanced HER performance of the nanostructures is attributed to the chemical and electronic synergic effect between the confined Co–Ni alloy and rGO. Stability tests, realized via long- term potential cycles and extended electrolysis, provided the confirmation of the exceptional durability of the catalyst, which originated from the confining effect of the N-doped carbon shell. This versatile method provides a strategy for designing stable non-precious metal electrocatalysts confined by carbon-coating.