The barnstar is not unique to Wikipedia. Some years ago, some wiki-based communities began to give their users awards called barn stars, using a star anchor to represent the concept of the shared work experience, as in barn raising. The concept of the barnstar as a Wiki award was created by SunirShah on MeatballWiki.[1][2] Web designers were invited to incorporate a similar barn star design into their project as Easter eggs.[3]
Wiki barnstars were introduced to Wikipedia in December 2003 by MartinHarper.[4] Since then, the concept has become ingrained in the Wikipedia culture. These awards are also part of the Kindness Campaign and are meant to promote civility and WikiLove. They are meant as a form of warm fuzzy: they are free to give and are intended to bring joy to the recipient.
And please remember that there are also other ways of showing simple appreciation to someone, such as a comment on the user's talk page, a "thank" notification from an article's history page, as well as alternative awards displayed in Personal user awards.
To award someone a barnstar, just place it on their talk page, and explain why it was given. If you are sure the barnstar is appropriate, don't be shy!
You can use the following text (in wiki markup):
{{subst:barnstarname|1=message ~~~~|2=alt}}
The barnstarname parameter should be replaced with the name of the barnstar you want to give.
The message parameter should be replaced with the message you want to accompany the barnstar.
The 2 parameter, when set to the value alt (2=alt), makes the barnstar appear as a Barnstar 2.0. If the parameter is omitted, the barnstar will appear as a Barnstar 1.0.
See the Barnstars section for examples of barnstars.
If you don't feel any of these barnstar awards covers the topics you are concerned with, you can always design your own (using these as examples, if you like).
If you have any questions concerning barnstars, or would like a barnstar to be added to this list, please see WikiProject Wikipedia Awards - a group of volunteers who help guide these pages.
Barnstars are listed in chronological order, that is, in the order in which they were introduced to the English Wikipedia. Any new barnstars should be added to the bottom of the appropriate section. Note: Barnstars added without consensus may be removed.
These lists can be sorted by title by clicking the button next to "Title and description".
When awarding a barnstar, please remember to provide relevant text as to why you are awarding it.
These are barnstars which are not for any specific contribution or task. (For barnstars for specific types of contributions, see #Specific editing contributions, below.)
These barnstars are awarded for specific types of contributions or editing which improve Wikipedia that do not fall into a specific article topical category in the encyclopedia.
These barnstars are awarded to editors who help adminstrate or patrol the encyclopedia.
These barnstars are given to editors for helping out with things done behind-the-scenes, in those corners of the Wikipedia project typically unseen by the general public.
Editors may use these alternate templates as appropriate. Best created by subst: the barnstar of your choice, then customizing the layout to suit the purpose. This is just a partial list designed to inspire barnstar creativity. Please consider adding your creative alternative barnstar templates to this list.
This is an example of a barnstar userbox. For other barnstars, just replace the image and related text with the barnstar of your choice. (And don't forget to sign.)
And here is another userbox barnstar.
Use {{subst:User Barnstar}}
The default reason is "for their contributions to WikiProject Userboxes." But this userbox can be used to give any Barnstar award.
The reason paramater can be used to modify the text:
{{subst:User Barnstar|reason=for being awesome!}}
The small barnstar, for gnomish work
Usage: Pick your barnstar, then go back and change the size to 50.
Multiple-barnstars are particularly useful for WikiProject awards, where the first barnstar is the Project barnstar and the additional ones are for the specific task. They are also useful in conjunction with The Teamwork Barnstar.
This is an example of a Barnometer. You can check the coding and then tweak it according to your own needs. Hover your mouse pointer over each barnstar to read each greeting.
[I] created the BarnStar[...]
A BarnStar, for bringing us the modern wonder that is the BarnStar.
Attempting to use Meatball's BarnStar on Wikipedia might help here. I've uploaded it – must add some appropriate text and start awarding it. --MartinHarper
