Van gogh used which technique to paint starry night, laying on thick paint to create texture on the canvas

It is the technique known as impasto, which involves the thick laying down of pain on a particular segment of the canvas. It makes the brushstrokes more visible and once it has dried, it adds a level of texture to the painting. 

The  techniquethat Vincent van gogh has use for the starry night is impasto the italian word meaning paste or mixture.