What is the difference between getMessage() and getMessages() in ServiceNow?

[AzeemullahA]

I am confused between getMessage() and getMessages() in ServiceNow.
Both are used to fetch localized messages from the System Message table, but I want to understand the exact difference and when to use each one.

Can someone briefly explain this with a simple example?

[DiveshTyagi · Accepted solution]

Hi @AzeemullahA ,

In ServiceNow, getMessage() retrieves a single localized message string, while getMessages() retrieves multiple localized messages at once. Use getMessage() when you only need one translation, and getMessages() when you want to fetch several translations in a single call for efficiency.

Key Differences

Feature getMessage() getMessages()

Purpose	Fetches one localized message	Fetches multiple localized messages
Input	A single message key (string)	An array of message keys
Use Case	When you need just one message	When you need several messages at once (better performance)
Performance	Multiple calls can be inefficient	More efficient for bulk retrieval
Return Type	A single translated string	An object/dictionary of key-value pairs (key → translated string)

Example 1: Using getMessage()

// Client Script
var msg = getMessage('hello_world');
alert(msg); 
// Output: "hello_world"

Example 2: Using getMessages()

// Client Script
var msgs = getMessages(['hello_world', 'goodbye_world']);
alert(msgs['hello_world']);   // "Hello World"
alert(msgs['goodbye_world']); // "Goodbye World"

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If this helps you then mark it as helpful and accept as solution.

[Chris14]

getMessage() also has a function available that provides the same functionality like the second parameter in gs.getMessage (server-side). It can be used this way:

getMessage("Msg: {0}").withValues(["Text"])