Configure the GOV.UK Design System Service Portal Knowledge Pages

  • Release version: Australia
  • Updated June 4, 2026
  • 3 minutes to read
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    Summary of Configure the GOV.UK Design System Service Portal Knowledge Pages

    The GOV.UK Design System (GDS) Service Portal provides a set of pre-configured knowledge pages designed to present knowledge base content in a GDS-compliant format for constituents. These pages come with a structured layout and a collection of widgets that can be configured to customize the knowledge experience within the Service Portal.

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    ServiceNow customers using the GOV.UK Design System can leverage these base knowledge pages to deliver consistent, user-friendly access to knowledge articles, search capabilities, and navigation features compliant with GDS standards.

    Key Features

    • Knowledge Home Page: Includes widgets such as the Knowledge Banner Header (with GOV.UK logo, navigation, language selector, notifications, and user profile), Featured Articles, Most Viewed Articles, Most Useful Articles, Knowledge Base Categories, and a Footer widget. The header widget is not clonable; header menus are configured via portal associations. Footers are managed via the Theme form.
    • Knowledge Search Page: Contains the Knowledge Banner Header, Knowledge Base Breadcrumbs (showing article location and enabling category-based browsing), Knowledge Search widget (search limited to the knowledge base), Selected Filter, Result widgets, and a Footer. Breadcrumbs customization is limited to breadcrumb path changes.
    • Knowledge Article View Page: Displays detailed knowledge articles including article number, description, content, and options for feedback or comments. Widgets include the Knowledge Banner Header, Knowledge Base Breadcrumbs, Knowledge Base Search with embedded Typeahead Search (predictive text), Article Page widget, Related Articles, and Footer. Each widget offers instance options for configuration except the header widget.

    Practical Application for ServiceNow Customers

    • Customers can clone and modify most widgets or configure them through instance options to tailor the look and behavior of knowledge pages.
    • Header menus are controlled by associating menus with portals rather than cloning the header widget, ensuring consistent navigation across pages.
    • Footers are customizable through the portal’s Theme form to reflect support links, resources, and legal information.
    • Breadcrumbs and search widgets enhance navigation and article discovery, supporting users in finding relevant knowledge efficiently.

    Key Outcomes

    • Provision of a GDS-compliant, user-friendly knowledge base interface integrated into the Service Portal.
    • Enhanced user experience through structured navigation, search capabilities, and article viewing with feedback options.
    • Flexible configuration options that allow customers to adapt the knowledge pages to their specific branding and functional requirements without compromising compliance.

    The knowledge pages provide the basic, GDS-compliant structure for displaying knowledge base content for constituents using the GDS Service Portal.

    By default, the GOV.UK Developer Toolkit comes with base system knowledge pages, which contain the following widgets.

    Most widgets can be configured by cloning and modifying, or you can use the instance options where available to configure widgets for a portal page. For more information on the instance options available for each widget, see Portal Widget Library.

    Knowledge Home

    The Knowledge homepage contains the following widgets:

    • Knowledge Banner Header widget, which controls which options appear in the page header. Contains GOV.UK logo, global navigation, language selector, notifications, user profile.
      Note:
      This widget cannot be cloned for modification. Instead, configure the header menu by associating the header menu with a portal. For more information on configuring a header menu, see Configure a portal header menu.
    • Knowledge Featured Articles widget, which displays profile photo, name, contact details, and other user profile information.
    • Knowledge Most Viewed Articles widget, which displays the most viewed knowledge base articles.
    • Knowledge Most Useful Articles widget, which displays profile photo, name, contact details, and other user profile information.
    • Knowledge Base Categories widget, which displays profile photo, name, contact details, and other user profile information.
    • Footer Widget, which displays support links, other resources, and legal disclaimers.
      Note:
      Add or edit a footer for your portal by configuring it in the Theme form. For more information on adding a footer to a portal, see Add a header or footer to a portal.

    Knowledge Search

    The Knowledge search page contains the following widgets:

    • Knowledge Banner Header widget, which controls which options appear in the page header. Contains GOV.UK logo, global navigation, language selector, notifications, user profile.
      Note:
      This widget cannot be cloned for modification. Instead, configure the header menu by associating the header menu with a portal. For more information on configuring a header menu, see Configure a portal header menu.
    • Knowledge Base Breadcrumbs widget, which displays information based on where an article is located in a knowledge base. You can broaden your search of the knowledge base to include all of the articles in a particular category by selecting the titles in the breadcrumbs. This widget also includes a search box so that you can search for an article by name.
      Note:
      You can customize this widget only to change the breadcrumb path. For more information, see KB0719179.
    • Knowledge Search widget which displays search information specifically confined to the knowledge base.
    • Knowledge Selected Filter widget, which displays profile photo, name, contact details, and other user profile information.
    • Knowledge Result widget, which displays profile photo, name, contact details, and other user profile information.
    • Footer Widget, which displays support links, other resources, and legal disclaimers.
      Note:
      Add or edit a footer for your portal by configuring it in the Theme form. For more information on adding a footer to a portal, see Add a header or footer to a portal.

    Knowledge Article View

    The Knowledge Article view page displays knowledge base details, including the article number, short description, and article content. You can also give feedback or comment on an article.

    The Knowledge homepage contains the following widgets:

    • Knowledge Banner Header widget, which controls which options appear in the page header. Contains GOV.UK logo, global navigation, language selector, notifications, user profile.
      Note:
      This widget cannot be cloned for modification. Instead, configure the header menu by associating the header menu with a portal. For more information on configuring a header menu, see Configure a portal header menu.
    • Knowledge Base Breadcrumbs widget, which displays information based on where an article is located in a knowledge base. You can broaden your search of the knowledge base to include all of the articles in a particular category by selecting the titles in the breadcrumbs. This widget also includes a search box so that you can search for an article by name.
      Note:
      You can customize this widget only to change the breadcrumb path. For more information, see KB0719179.
    • Knowledge Base Search Widget and Typeahead Search widget, which displays search information specifically confined to the knowledge base, with a predictive text feature that shows words as users type.
      Note:
      The Typeahead Search widget is embedded in the Knowledge Base Search Widget, but each widget has its own instance options. For more information on the instance options available for each widget, see Portal Widget Library.
    • Knowledge Article Page widget, which displays Knowledge Base articles within the GDS Service Portal.
    • Knowledge Related Articles widget, which displays profile photo, name, contact details, and other user profile information.
    • Footer Widget, which displays support links, other resources, and legal disclaimers.
      Note:
      Add or edit a footer for your portal by configuring it in the Theme form. For more information on adding a footer to a portal, see Add a header or footer to a portal.