This study investigates the preparation of high catalytic performance alkaline water electrolysis nickel-based catalysts using electrodeposition. A series of nickel deposition experiments were designed and conducted to explore the effects of deposition current density, deposition time, electrode substrate type, and composition of the deposition solution on the deposition results and their underlying mechanisms. The analysis revealed that NH4+ plays a crucial role as both a pH buffer and a metal ion chelating agent during the electrodeposition process. It was found that the presence of NH4+ optimizes the catalytic performance of the deposited product within a specific concentration range; concentrations exceeding this range reduce the electrochemically active surface area, while concentrations below this range weaken the pH effect. The experiments suggest that an NH4+ concentration of 1 mol/L in the solution achieves the best regulatory effect. Additionally, through experiments using nickel foam substrates, it was determined that a higher deposition current density is required compared to flat substrates to form the typical DHBT structure. The study also summarizes the typical morphological types of deposits on nickel foam substrates.