How do reputation points work on Stack Overflow?

Reputation points on Stack Overflow act as a measure of a user's contribution and expertise within the community. As a user participates in the platform, they earn reputation points for various activities such as asking and answering questions, receiving upvotes, and having their answers accepted. Conversely, reputation can be lost for actions like downvoting or having one's posts flagged. Higher reputation levels grant additional privileges, including the ability to upvote, close or reopen questions, and access moderation tools. Reputation is essentially a trust-based system that allows users to distinguish credible contributions from others. It serves to motivate users to provide quality content and encourages community collaboration. Additionally, badges are awarded for reaching certain reputation milestones or for specific achievements, enhancing user engagement on the platform.