# How to recognize your team with GitLab Achievements

DevFeed: [How to recognize your team with GitLab Achievements](<https://devfeed.tech/articles/how-to-recognize-your-team-with-gitlab-achievements-98.md>)

Original publisher: [Read original article](<https://about.gitlab.com/blog/how-to-recognize-your-team-with-gitlab-achievements/>)

Author: Lee Tickett

Published: 2026-08-27T00:00:00Z

Content type: tutorial

Language: en

Sources: [GitLab](<https://devfeed.tech/sources/gitlab.md>)

Topics: [GitLab](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/gitlab.md>), [Open Source](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/open-source.md>), [Template](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/template.md>), [Markdown](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/markdown.md>)

Tags: [collaboration](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/collaboration.md>), [community](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/community.md>), [company](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/company.md>), [feature](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/feature.md>), [how-to](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/how-to.md>), [markdown](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/markdown.md>), [open-source](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/open-source.md>), [product](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/product.md>), [profile](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/profile.md>), [retention](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/retention.md>)

## AI overview

GitLab Achievements lets teams create reusable custom badges and award them for contributions, milestones, certifications, or other behaviors. Awards appear on recipients' profiles after they accept them, and optional personal messages support GitLab Flavored Markdown. The feature is presented as a way to reinforce recognition, retention, motivation, and belonging across companies, open source projects, and communities.

## Source excerpt

Every team runs on people who go above and beyond. The engineer who fixes the flaky test nobody else will touch. The reviewer who turns your merge request around in an hour. The teammate who finishes their certification. Or the community member who shows up release after release. Whether your team is a company, an open source project, or a community, GitLab had no built-in way to say "we see you." GitLab Achievements changes that. What are GitLab Achievements? An achievement is a custom badge you create once and award to people for their behavior. That might be a contribution, a milestone, or simply getting the most out of GitLab. Each one has a name, a description, and an avatar. Think "First merged MR", "Certified", or "Contributor of the month". Awarded achievements appear on the recipient's profile, alongside their contribution history. There are two halves to the achievement. The achievement itself is a reusable template you define at the group level. Awarding that achievement to someone is a separate action, and it can carry an optional personal message. That message supports GitLab Flavored Markdown, so you can link straight to the merge request, issue, or event that earned it. The same "Contributor of the month" badge can then tell a different story every time you award it. Recipients stay in control. An award doesn't appear on anyone's profile until they accept it using a link from an email notification. Recognition is offered, never forced onto someone's profile. Achievements are generally available as of GitLab 19.2, across Free, Premium, and Ultimate, on GitLab.com, GitLab Self-Managed, and GitLab Dedicated. Why recognition matters Recognition is one of the least expensive, most effective tools you have for retention, motivation, and belonging. A visible badge on a profile costs you a minute to award and gives the recipient something lasting. And "team" is broad: It might be your company, your open source project, or your wider community. The value depen