ahoy @manasakumar,
Welcome to the Platform of platforms! 🚀 I think there's not any particular journey with given roadmap that would suit all.
Instead, you might set your own expectations and ambitions and based on them select a journey or a path, they are both lists of courses (99 % are for free) at the SN University. You can complete them in your own pace, jumping from one to another. Some are overlapping but if you finished it once it will not be required to pass it again.
To answer your quetsions:
1) what to learn first & 3) specific SNU courses and learning paths
- depending on role (analyst x architect)
- follow the journeys and paths below
2) core concepts/applications
- you can start with ITSM as it is in EACH instance (other modules HR, CSM, secops, .... vary but there's no ServiceNow instance without ITSM, it's there on default)
- understanding ITSM and basics of the platform allows you to build new skils and extend your knowledge
4) when to start with apps and development
- start as soon as your time allows you,
- some people are ready after a month, some are ready after 3 years,
- don't compare with others, compare with yourself from a year ago,
- what gives you the most is to make mistakes and learn from them,
- request your PDI (a free instance of ServiceNow) a go break things to repair them or build something new
5) hands-on exercises
- Some of the SNU courses have labs, it gives you an instance and instructions and you will complete them,
- Developer portal in the end of my post below is another option
Unsolicited advice: do not overuse AI, skip if for good if you want to learn something meaningful, it is full of misinterpreted or erroneous information, instead focus on official documents or youtube channel, again the official ones are better, some developers have their own channels but take it with some critical view, they might use a scenario that doesn't make sense and it can be difficult for beginners. Using AI gives you fast responses but not always correct ones and skipping the "difficult part" of struggling to find the bug or finding solution will result in not remembering it, if you fix something using your own brain the chance of remembering it later is much higher and probable ;))
- Get Started with ServiceNow University
- Learn about ServiceNow and earn badges, points, certificates, and improve your rank.
- Most courses are free, only a few are paid.
- Start with the "Welcome to ServiceNow " training, it's fun and gives you your first certificate!
- The Certified System Administrator (CSA) certificate is a good start, it's useful for almost any ServiceNow role.
- Trainings at the SN University provide temporary lab instances with pre-installed plugins and apps.
ServiceNow Career Journeys & ServiceNow Career Paths
- Pick a ServiceNow Career Path that matches your interests.
- We’ll help you start at the right level based on your skills.
- A ServiceNow Credential gives you industry recognition.
- It proves your investment and boosts your professional value.
Learning Plans at the Developer Portal
- Request your Personal Developer Instance (PDI), your own ServiceNow sandbox to practice safely.
- You can try almost everything for free (except a few advanced features like AI).
- Explore guides, tutorials, blogs, and documentation to learn more.
- Short and self-paced modules.
- Best practices, references,
Good luck! 🤞💪
