Wikipedia:Bots/Requests for approval

New to bots on Wikipedia? Read these primers!

• Approval process – How these discussions work
• Overview/Policy – What bots are/What they can (or can't) do
• Dictionary – Explains bot-related jargon

To run a bot on the English Wikipedia, you must first get it approved. Follow the instructions below to add a request. If you are not familiar with programming consider asking someone else to run a bot for you.

Instructions for bot operators

I Before applying for approval Read the bot policy, and check the list of frequently denied bot requests. If your task could be controversial (e.g. most bots making non-maintenance edits to articles and most bots posting messages on user talk pages), seek consensus for the task. Common places to start include WP:Village pump (proposals) and the talk pages of the relevant policies, guidelines, templates, and/or WikiProjects. Link to this discussion in your request for approval. You will need to create an account for your bot if you haven't already done so. Click here when logged in to create the account, linking it to yours. (If you do not create the bot account while logged in, it is likely to be blocked as a possible sockpuppet or unauthorised bot until you verify ownership) Create a userpage for your bot, linking to your userpage (this is commonly done using the {{bot}} template) and describing its functions. You may also include an 'emergency shutoff button'. II Filing the application Enter your bot's user name in the box below and click the button. If this is a request for an additional task, put a task number as well (e.g. BotName 2). Complete the questions on the resulting page and save it. Your request must now be added to the correct section of the main approvals page: Click here and add {{BRFA}} to the top of the list, directly below the comment line. For a first request: use {{BRFA|bot name||Open}} For an additional task request: use {{BRFA|bot name|task number|Open}} III During the approvals process During the process, an approvals group member may approve a trial for your bot (typically after allowing time for community input), and AnomieBOT will move the request to this section. Run the bot for the specified number of edits/time period, then add {{Bot trial complete}} to the request page. It helps if you also link to the bot's contributions, and comment on any errors that may have occurred. AnomieBOT will move the request to the 'trial complete' section by moving the {{BRFA}} template that applies to your bot If you feel that your request is being overlooked (no BAG attention for ~1 week) you can add {{BAG assistance needed}} to the page. However, please do not use it after every comment! At any time during the approvals process, you may withdraw your request by adding {{BotWithdrawn}} to your bot's approval page. IV After the approvals process After the trial edits have been reviewed and enough time has passed for any more discussion, a BAG member will approve or deny the request appropriately. For approved requests: The request will be listed here. If necessary, a bureaucrat will flag the bot within a couple of days and you can then run the task fully (it's best to wait for the flag, to avoid cluttering recent changes). If the bot already has a flag, or is to run without one, you may start the task when ready. For denied/expired/withdrawn requests: The request will be listed at the bottom of the main BRFA page in the relevant section.

Bot Name	Status	Created	Last editor	Date/Time	Last BAG editor	Date/Time
PonoRoboT 2 (T|C|B|F)	On hold	2024-07-20, 23:38:17	Primefac	2024-08-04, 23:49:03	Primefac	2024-08-04, 23:49:03
Platybot (T|C|B|F)	Open	2024-07-08, 08:52:05	Primefac	2024-08-25, 20:09:43	Primefac	2024-08-25, 20:09:43
SodiumBot 2 (T|C|B|F)	In trial	2024-07-16, 20:03:26	Novem Linguae	2024-08-08, 07:10:31	Primefac	2024-08-04, 23:51:27
Protection Helper Bot (T|C|B|F)	In trial	2024-07-30, 22:10:05	Anachronist	2024-09-02, 17:13:45	ProcrastinatingReader	2024-08-15, 02:32:36
DannyS712 bot III 74 (T|C|B|F)	In trial	2024-05-09, 00:02:12	DannyS712	2024-07-21, 02:39:35	TheSandDoctor	2024-07-13, 22:20:18
StradBot 2 (T|C|B|F)	In trial	2024-02-17, 03:20:39	SD0001	2024-02-17, 05:58:51	SD0001	2024-02-17, 05:58:51
CapsuleBot 2 (T|C|B|F)	Extended trial	2023-06-14, 00:14:29	Capsulecap	2024-01-20, 02:36:30	Primefac	2024-01-15, 07:40:39
AussieBot 1 (T|C|B|F)	Extended trial: User response needed!	2023-03-22, 01:57:36	Hawkeye7	2024-02-18, 23:33:13	Primefac	2024-02-18, 20:10:45
DoggoBot 10 (T|C|B|F)	In trial	2023-03-02, 02:55:00	Usernamekiran	2024-07-18, 16:59:45	Primefac	2024-01-15, 07:40:49
Leaderbot (T|C|B|F)	Trial complete	2024-08-10, 12:32:53	Leaderboard	2024-09-01, 11:17:48	SD0001	2024-09-01, 08:01:32
PrimeBOT 39 (T|C|B|F)	On hold	2023-05-11, 12:48:50	Primefac	2024-08-16, 10:37:20	Headbomb	2023-07-02, 17:38:58

Bot Name	Status	Created	Last editor	Date/Time	Last BAG editor	Date/Time
PonoRoboT 2 (T|C|B|F)	On hold	2024-07-20, 23:38:17	Primefac	2024-08-04, 23:49:03	Primefac	2024-08-04, 23:49:03
Platybot (T|C|B|F)	Open	2024-07-08, 08:52:05	Primefac	2024-08-25, 20:09:43	Primefac	2024-08-25, 20:09:43
SodiumBot 2 (T|C|B|F)	In trial	2024-07-16, 20:03:26	Novem Linguae	2024-08-08, 07:10:31	Primefac	2024-08-04, 23:51:27
Protection Helper Bot (T|C|B|F)	In trial	2024-07-30, 22:10:05	Anachronist	2024-09-02, 17:13:45	ProcrastinatingReader	2024-08-15, 02:32:36
DannyS712 bot III 74 (T|C|B|F)	In trial	2024-05-09, 00:02:12	DannyS712	2024-07-21, 02:39:35	TheSandDoctor	2024-07-13, 22:20:18
StradBot 2 (T|C|B|F)	In trial	2024-02-17, 03:20:39	SD0001	2024-02-17, 05:58:51	SD0001	2024-02-17, 05:58:51
CapsuleBot 2 (T|C|B|F)	Extended trial	2023-06-14, 00:14:29	Capsulecap	2024-01-20, 02:36:30	Primefac	2024-01-15, 07:40:39
AussieBot 1 (T|C|B|F)	Extended trial: User response needed!	2023-03-22, 01:57:36	Hawkeye7	2024-02-18, 23:33:13	Primefac	2024-02-18, 20:10:45
DoggoBot 10 (T|C|B|F)	In trial	2023-03-02, 02:55:00	Usernamekiran	2024-07-18, 16:59:45	Primefac	2024-01-15, 07:40:49
Leaderbot (T|C|B|F)	Trial complete	2024-08-10, 12:32:53	Leaderboard	2024-09-01, 11:17:48	SD0001	2024-09-01, 08:01:32
PrimeBOT 39 (T|C|B|F)	On hold	2023-05-11, 12:48:50	Primefac	2024-08-16, 10:37:20	Headbomb	2023-07-02, 17:38:58

Requests to add a task to an already-approved bot

</nowiki> to the page. This will fully populate the uncategorized template category and make it easier to sort and slice the list for specific categorization.

Discussion

Your regex looks like it would get a lot of false matches: plenty of templates will contain e.g. "{{{1}}}", which will match /\{\{/. Is it really even needed? —Ilmari Karonen (talk) 16:51, 20 July 2008 (UTC)

Hmm, your right, my main fear is that many templates have categories done by passing through other templates. In theory my list method should eliminate that, and I can remove all instances of {{documentation}} to being with, so maybe /(atego)/ will also work. MBisanz ^talk 05:31, 21 July 2008 (UTC)

I think that just checking for no entries in the categorylinks table (which is what Special:UncategorizedTemplates does, but it could also be done on the toolserver) should be enough. If MediaWiki doesn't think the page is categorized, then it by definition isn't categorized, period. —Ilmari Karonen (talk) 07:54, 21 July 2008 (UTC)

Good point, I may still exclude tempaltes with the Documentation subtemplate, since by definition, templates should only be added to the documentation page. That will be phase 2 of this I think. MBisanz ^talk 07:59, 21 July 2008 (UTC)

I have incredibly strong opposition to this task. It is the definition of a waste of server resources. It adds entirely unnecessary revisions that serve only to bloat various database tables. While users generally shouldn't worry about system performance, the practicality of this task is non-existent. If users are interested in categorizing templates, MediaWiki's list or a Toolserver-generated list can easily be used. This task (ironically?) puts all of the uncategorized templates into a category (Category:Wikipedia uncategorized templates), thus entirely defeating the purpose of the Special: page, which will also further complicate any lists that need to be generated of actually uncategorized templates. Essentially, this task is clearing out a Special: page for no other reason than to make someone feel better? In addition, a lot of uncategorized templates do not need to be tagged, they need to deprecated and deleted (or redirected). I strongly recommend a speedy denial of this bot. --MZMcBride (talk) 04:45, 23 July 2008 (UTC)

Yes, that occurred to me as well. However, MBisanz's explanation above suggests that he may think there's some advantage to doing it this way, in which case I'd certainly like to hear what it is. —Ilmari Karonen (talk) 05:03, 23 July 2008 (UTC)

There are about 25,000 uncategorized templates, the special page only lists the first 1000, cleaning it out would permit someone to see all 25,000 in one category without needing to find someone with a toolserver account and get them to provide some sort of list, format the list, etc. MBisanz ^talk 06:45, 23 July 2008 (UTC)

It would be trivial to have a web tool on the toolserver. BJ^Talk 06:47, 23 July 2008 (UTC)

Indeed. We're talking about 25,000 (in my opinion entirely useless) revisions versus one or two to a MediaWiki: message to point people to a longer list. Or, alternately, if they categorize the pages in order, the list will then show the next 1,000 pages. KISS. --MZMcBride (talk) 21:07, 23 July 2008 (UTC)

Hmm, I might be missing something here, we have maintainence categories to help us sort things, we have a template whose purpose is to sort things, I have a bot that wants to do this thing, so far no one else has created a better way to do this thing, how else is this thing going to occur? MBisanz ^talk 13:58, 30 July 2008 (UTC)

Denied. I appreciate what you're trying to do here, MBisanz. But consensus seems to be that this isn't the best way to do it. – Quadell ^(talk) 14:01, 6 August 2008 (UTC)

The above discussion is preserved as an archive of the debate. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made in a new section.

</noinclude>

Bots in a trial period

The following discussion is an archived debate. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made in a new section. The result of the discussion was Revoked.

After discussion at Wikipedia talk:Bots/Requests for approval/Archive 4#Request for deflagging and blocking of Anybot, this bot approval has been revoked. User:Smith609 is free to submit future requests for approval, for this bot or for other bots; however:

1. The source code should be provided for BAG review.
2. Any bots that can be activated in a publicly-accessible manner (e.g. visiting a web page) must be restricted so only User:Smith609 may activate them (e.g. password protection and/or source IP restriction).
3. Tasks creating content must be reviewed by editors experienced in the field before approval, and should be periodically reviewed while the task is running.

Note that these restrictions were suggested by Martin himself,[1] and are generally a good idea for any bot op. Please direct discussion to WT:BRFA. Anomie⚔ 03:04, 27 June 2009 (UTC)