--- sourceDocument: Brazil Build or modify applications sourceDocumentLink: https://www.servicenow.com/docs/r/application-development Release : - brazil ft:locale : - en-US ft:publication_title : - Brazil Build or modify applications ft:clusterId : - cadev bundleId : - cadev workflow : - Development, Data, and Analytics --- # ServiceNow Fluent # ServiceNow Fluent {#ariaid-title1} Release version: Brazil Updated September 10, 2026 ![](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/portal-asset/ico-clock) 3 minutes to read Summarize ![AI sparkle icon](https://servicenow.com/docs/portal-asset/ai-sparkle-icon) Summarized using AI This content was generated using new OpenAI-powered functionality. Results are provided on an as is basis and are not guaranteed to be accurate or complete. ## Summary of ServiceNow Fluent ServiceNow Fluent is a declarative, domain-specific language (DSL) based on TypeScript that enables developers to define application metadata---such as tables, roles, ACLs, business rules, and Automated Test Framework tests---directly in source code instead of using forms or UI builder tools. It is designed to work with applications created or converted using the ServiceNow IDE or ServiceNow SDK. Show full answer Show less This approach supports two-way synchronization, allowing metadata changes made in the ServiceNow AI Platform interfaces to be reflected in source code and vice versa, ensuring consistency across the instance. ## Key Features * **Declarative Metadata Definition:** Use .now.ts files and ServiceNow Fluent APIs to define application components succinctly in code. * **Comprehensive API Support:** Includes APIs for various metadata types and a Record API for undefined types, with regular updates and examples available in the ServiceNow Fluent API reference and GitHub SDK examples. * **Script Integration:** Server-side scripts (e.g., business rules) and client scripts can import and use JavaScript modules, enabling modular and reusable code. * **Two-way Synchronization:** Syncs metadata changes bi-directionally between source code and the ServiceNow instance, maintaining alignment and reducing manual effort. * **Selective Sync Control:** Code comment directives (@fluent-ignore, @fluent-disable-sync, @fluent-disable-sync-for-file) allow developers to suppress warnings or disable syncing on specific lines, objects, or entire files for fine-grained control. * **Limitations:** Some metadata types, such as Metadata Snapshots and UX Assets, are excluded from Fluent representation and remain as XML files in the application's metadata directory. ## Practical Usage Developers write Fluent code importing required APIs from `@servicenow/sdk/core` and define metadata objects like tables, client scripts, and business rules. Example code demonstrates creating a table with columns, a client script that shows an info message on record load, and a business rule that logs state changes using imported server-side functions. After building the application, the Fluent source code automatically generates the corresponding application metadata files in the ServiceNow instance, simplifying deployment and maintenance. ## Getting Started To begin using ServiceNow Fluent, developers should utilize the ServiceNow IDE or ServiceNow SDK, leveraging the available documentation and API references. This enables efficient application development by defining metadata as code, supporting version control and automation. Define application metadata in source code using the ServiceNow Fluent domain-specific programming language. ## Overview of ServiceNow Fluent {#servicenow-fluent__section_jnb_vvg_z1c} ServiceNow Fluent is a declarative, domain-specific language (DSL) based on TypeScript for defining the metadata files \[sys_metadata\] that make up applications and includes APIs for the different types of metadata, such as tables, roles, ACLs, business rules, and Automated Test Framework tests. Developers define this metadata in a few lines of code instead of through a form or builder tool user interface. Applications created or converted with the ServiceNow IDE or ServiceNow SDK support development in ServiceNow Fluent. ServiceNow Fluent supports two-way synchronization, which allows changes to metadata to be synced from other ServiceNow AI Platform user interfaces into source code and changes to source code to be synced back to metadata across the instance. To get started using the ServiceNow IDE or ServiceNow SDK, see the [ServiceNow IDE](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/vrvD0baaBChdtviQvEAJzA "Create and develop applications in source code in an integrated development environment (IDE) on the ServiceNow AI Platform to improve collaboration across development teams and accelerate application development.") or [ServiceNow SDK](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/kxHFmPu4YSc2NQeuYCjRYg "Create and develop applications in source code locally in Visual Studio Code Desktop and upload changes to an instance using the ServiceNow software development kit (SDK).") documentation. ## ServiceNow Fluent APIs {#servicenow-fluent__section_nyj_y13_zbc} ServiceNow Fluent includes APIs for many types of metadata. You can use the Record API to define application metadata that doesn't have a dedicated API. For the latest list of supported APIs and examples, see the [ServiceNow Fluent API reference](https://servicenow.github.io/sdk/) and [ServiceNow SDK examples repository](https://github.com/ServiceNow/sdk-examples) on GitHub. Note: A limited number of metadata types, such as Metadata Snapshots \[sys_metadata_link\] and UX Assets \[sys_ux_lib_asset\], can't be represented as ServiceNow Fluent code and aren't transformed. These metadata types remain as metadata XML files in the metadata directory of your application. ## ServiceNow Fluent usage {#servicenow-fluent__section_dgj_1b3_zbc} In files with the .now.ts extension, use objects in the ServiceNow Fluent APIs to define metadata in the application. You must also include the required imports for the APIs from @servicenow/sdk/core. For objects with server-side scripts, such as the BusinessRule object, you can import and use code from JavaScript modules. The following example includes the definitions of a table, client script, and business rule in the application. The client script uses a script from the client-script.js file. The business rule uses a function from the script.js JavaScript module. import '@servicenow/sdk/global' import { BusinessRule, ClientScript, DateColumn, StringColumn, Table } from '@servicenow/sdk/core' import { showStateUpdate } from '../server/script.js' //creates todo table, with three columns (deadline, status and task) export const x_snc_example_to_do = Table({ name: 'x_snc_example_to_do', schema: { deadline: DateColumn({ label: 'Deadline' }), state: StringColumn({ label: 'State', choices: { ready: { label: 'Ready' }, completed: { label: 'Completed' }, inProgress: { label: 'In Progress' }, }, }), task: StringColumn({ label: 'Task', maxLength: 120 }), }, }) //creates a client script that pops up 'Table loaded successfully!!' message everytime todo record is loaded ClientScript({ $id: Now.ID['cs0'], name: 'my_client_script', table: 'x_snc_example_to_do', active: true, appliesExtended: false, global: true, uiType: 'all', description: 'Custom client script generated by Now SDK', isolateScript: false, type: 'onLoad', script: Now.include('../client/client-script.js'), }) //creates a business rule that pops up state change message whenever a todo record is updated BusinessRule({ $id: Now.ID['br0'], action: ['update'], table: 'x_snc_example_to_do', script: showStateUpdate, name: 'LogStateChange', order: 100, when: 'after', active: true, }) The client script referenced from the ClientScript object: function onLoad() { g_form.addInfoMessage("Table loaded successfully!!") } The JavaScript module referenced from the BusinessRule object: import { gs } from '@servicenow/glide' export function showStateUpdate(current, previous) { const currentState = current.getValue('state') const previousState = previous.getValue('state') gs.addInfoMessage(`state updated from "${previousState}" to "${currentState}"`) } After building the application, this source code generates the following application metadata files on the instance. Figure 1. Application metadata generated from ServiceNow Fluent code Tip: You can use the following directives in a code comment to help manage your code: * `@fluent-ignore`: Suppresses ServiceNow Fluent diagnostic warnings and errors in the following line of code. * `@fluent-disable-sync`: Turns off syncing changes to a ServiceNow Fluent object. Use before a call expression (for example, `Record({ ... })`) to turn off syncing for that object and its child objects. Only use this directive if you want to ignore changes made outside of the source code to the object and never update it when syncing. * `@fluent-disable-sync-for-file`: Turns off syncing changes to a ServiceNow Fluent file (.now.ts). Use in the first line of the file to turn off syncing for all code in the file. Only use this directive if you want to ignore changes made outside of the source code to the file and never update it when syncing. {#servicenow-fluent__ul_dzm_xxw_ldc} **Related tasks** * [Define application metadata in code with ServiceNow Fluent in the ServiceNow IDE](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/cyqiAwlIW~9uKBbLmvfc7A "Define application metadata in code with ServiceNow Fluent in the ServiceNow IDE.") * [Define application metadata in code with ServiceNow Fluent and the ServiceNow SDK](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/jdKSEYt2Zimfi70bM_Scdw "Define application metadata in code with ServiceNow Fluent and the ServiceNow SDK.") **Related reference** * [ServiceNow Fluent API reference](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/IBj_TclGYETgyAUhN5qddA "Use ServiceNow Fluent APIs to define the metadata that makes up scoped applications in source code with the ServiceNow IDE or ServiceNow SDK.")