Spoke Generator vs OOTB Spokes in ServiceNow – When to use What?

[kamal_s]

What is a Spoke in ServiceNow?

A Spoke is a collection of reusable actions, flows, subflows, and connections to interact with external systems — think of it as a plug-and-play integration module.

ServiceNow offers many OOTB spokes for popular platforms like:

• Microsoft Teams
• Slack
• Zoom
• Jira
• Salesforce
• GitHub

But what if your use case isn’t covered? That’s where the Spoke Generator/Generation comes in.

What is Spoke Generator/Generation Capability?

The Spoke Generator/Generation is a tool available in IntegrationHub that automates the creation of custom spokes based on external API specifications (like OpenAPI or Swagger) or use API documentation to generate Spoke using GenAI.

With just a few clicks, you can:

• Upload an API spec or use API documentation
• Generate Spoke Actions and connections
• Build a full-fledged spoke tailored to your integration needs

It’s fast, modular, and allows teams to build custom integrations that follow the same structure and design principles as OOTB spokes.

When to Use OOTB Spokes?

Use OOTB spokes when:

• The spoke already covers your use case
• You want to save time by using pre-tested, upgrade-safe actions
• You’re working with a commonly supported system or platform

Pro Tip: Don’t reinvent the wheel. OOTB spokes are maintained by ServiceNow and updated with platform releases.

When to Use Spoke Generator / Spoke Generation?

Use the Spoke Generator when:

• No OOTB spoke is available for the system you’re integrating with
• You have access to the API specification (OpenAPI/Swagger/WSDL) or API documentation
• You want to modularize your integration into reusable actions and flows
• You’re building customer-specific integrations for scoped apps
• You want to follow best practices for scaling, testing, and version-controlling your integrations

Choosing between OOTB spokes and the Spoke Generator/Generation isn’t an either/or — it’s about using the right tool for the right need. OOTB spokes are a great starting point, but the Spoke Generator/Generation unlocks limitless possibilities for custom integrations that feel native to ServiceNow.

If you’re ready to start building smarter integrations, give the Spoke Generator/Generation a try. You’ll love how quickly you can bring new systems into your ServiceNow ecosystem.