How to Automated Deployments using Build and Release Pipelines

[Brian104]

Our team is looking at how to automate deployment from dev to test instances using Azure Pipelines, Git Pipelines, etc. Are there any API endpoints available to initiate a "Publish" and/or "Install" command on a ServiceNow instance? Basically, what we’re trying to create is a build pipeline that gets triggered by a pull request and then invoke the publish or install commands via a REST API call. This is basically what we do on the full stack development side of things (change is made, pull request approved, test is built). QA and Prod require a release approval.

Thanks!

[WORKFLOW-COWBOY]

Why yes there is... it's called the "Continuous Integration/Continuous Delivery (CI/CD) API". 

https://docs.servicenow.com/bundle/sandiego-application-development/page/integrate/inbound-rest/conc...

You can set up your own pipeline or utilize App Engine Studio.  In AES, there is the concept of a "Deployment Request".  When the request is approved, AES uses the CI/CD API to move the app from Dev to Test to Prod while stopping in Test to do some automated testing before going to Prod. 

[WORKFLOW-COWBOY]

CI/CI API also leverages Application Repository.  It's good to be familiar with how the Application Repository works as well.

App Repo -> https://docs.servicenow.com/bundle/sandiego-application-development/page/build/applications/concept/...

Here's a nice deployment diagram as well -> https://developer.servicenow.com/dev.do#!/guides/sandiego/now-platform/pro-dev-guide/pd-deploy

[Brian104]

This is great Dale!  After some initial investigation, it looks like to say publish an application I would need to do something like the following:

In ServiceNow:

1. Install the Integration Hub Stater Pack
2. Create a CI/CD credential to my repo.
3. Create a Scripted REST API that calls the "Publish Application With Scope" subflow provided

In Jenkins, ADO, Github, etc:

1. Create the build pipeline
2. Trigger it manually
3. Call the Scripted REST API  endpoint with required inputs (i.e.scope, credential_alias, instance_url)

I'm going to try this and post my results.   This won't work in a PDI since you can't publish to the store, so my goal is to at least hit the endpoint and get the error from the subflow.

[WORKFLOW-COWBOY]

You are on the right path. Correct that it will not work in a PDI as PDI can not publish to Application Repository.  App Repo is only available on ServiceNow customer instances.