---
sourceDocument: Australia Build or modify applications
sourceDocumentLink: https://www.servicenow.com/docs/r/australia/application-development

 Release :

    - australia

ft:locale :

    - en-US

ft:publication_title :

    - Australia Build or modify applications

ft:clusterId :

    - cadev

bundleId :

    - cadev

workflow :

    - Development, Data, and Analytics


---

# ServiceNow SDK

# ServiceNow SDK {#ariaid-title1}

Release version: Australia  
Updated September 29, 2026  
![](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/portal-asset/ico-clock) 2 minutes to read
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## Summary of ServiceNow SDK Australia Release

The ServiceNow SDK is a command-line interface (CLI) tool designed for scaffolding, building, and deploying Lux applications on the ServiceNow platform.
Distributed as the npm package@servicenow/sdkand invoked usingnow-sdk, it provides developers with comprehensive control over their development workflow.
Show full answer Show less  
While Lux Lab offers a desktop environment bundling an editor, AI coding assistant, local dev server, and one-click deployment, the SDK CLI separates these features into individual commands. This modular approach allows use within any editor, terminal, or CI/CD pipeline, offering flexibility for custom development environments.

## Key Features

* **Authentication:** Configure instance access with `now-sdk auth`.
* **Project Initialization and Templates:** Initialize new applications, apply templates, or convert legacy apps using `now-sdk init`.
* **Source Management:** Download metadata (`now-sdk download`), transform XML to Fluent source code (`now-sdk transform`), and manage dependencies (`now-sdk dependencies`).
* **Build and Deployment:** Compile source code into installable packages (`now-sdk build`), deploy apps to instances (`now-sdk install`), and package apps as zip artifacts (`now-sdk pack`).
* **Development Tools:** Run a local development server with hot reload using `now-sdk run dev`.
* **CI/CD Integration:** Support for automated build and deployment pipelines via `now-sdk cicd`.
* **Additional Utilities:** Clean output directories (`now-sdk clean`), query instance tables (`now-sdk query`), and access command documentation (`now-sdk explain`).

## Requirements

* Node.js version 24 or later
* pnpm version 10 or later (package manager)
* Git version 2.30 or later
* Access to a ServiceNow instance with valid credentials

## Installation and Version Management

Check the globally installed SDK version with `now-sdk --version`. Project-specific SDK versions may differ and can be checked within the project's `package.json`.

To ensure access to the latest fixes and features, keep the SDK updated by running `npm install -g @servicenow/sdk@latest`.

## Usage and Integration

Scaffolded Lux projects bundle common SDK commands as `package.json` scripts, such as `pnpm dev`, `pnpm build`, and `pnpm deploy`, streamlining day-to-day development without directly invoking `now-sdk` commands.

The SDK commands enable flexible workflows suitable for local development, automation, and integration into enterprise CI/CD pipelines.

## Reference Documentation

Comprehensive documentation is available covering CLI commands, configuration files (`now.config.json`), and the Fluent language. These resources help developers understand command usage, configuration options, and advanced features.  
ServiceNow SDK is the command-line tool that scaffolds, builds, and deploys a Lux application. It's distributed as the npm package `@servicenow/sdk` and invoked as `now-sdk`.

## ServiceNow SDK overview {#now-sdk__section_fty_m4z_skc}

Use the ServiceNow SDK CLI directly, rather than Lux Lab, when you need full control over your development environment. Lux Lab is a desktop application that bundles an editor, an AI coding agent, a local dev server, and a one-click deploy action into a single window. The CLI exposes those same operations as separate
commands (now-sdk build, now-sdk install, etc.). You can run these commands in whatever editor, terminal, and CI/CD pipeline you choose.

## Requirements {#now-sdk__now-sdk-requirements}

* Node.js 24 or later
* pnpm 10 or later --- the project's package manager
* Git 2.30 or later
* Access to a ServiceNow instance (local or remote) with credentials

## Install and update {#now-sdk__now-sdk-installation}

Check which version of the SDK is installed:

    now-sdk --version

A project can use a different version than the one installed globally. To check which version a project uses, run the following command from the project's root folder:

    cat package.json | grep @servicenow/sdk

Install the latest version of the SDK. New releases add fixes and features regularly, so keep your installation current.

    npm install -g @servicenow/sdk@latest

## Commands {#now-sdk__now-sdk-commands}

{#now-sdk__table-now-sdk-commands__entry__2}

| Command | What it does |
|-|-|
| `now-sdk auth` | Configure authentication to an instance |
| `now-sdk init` (alias: `create`) | Initialize a new application, apply a template to an existing one, or convert a legacy application |
| `now-sdk download <directory>` | Download application metadata from the instance |
| `now-sdk build [source]` | Compile sources into app files and generate an installable package |
| `now-sdk install` (alias: `deploy`) | Install or update the application on the instance |
| `now-sdk dependencies [sysIds..]` | Download configured dependencies and TypeScript type definitions |
| `now-sdk transform` | Convert XML records from the instance or a local path into Fluent source code |
| `now-sdk clean [source]` | Clean the output directory |
| `now-sdk pack [source]` | Zip the built app into an installable artifact |
| `now-sdk explain [topic]` | Display documentation for an SDK topic |
| `now-sdk query <table>` | Query records from a table on the instance |
| `now-sdk cicd` | Integrate builds and installs into a CI/CD pipeline |
| `now-sdk run dev` | Start the local dev server with hot reload |
[Table 1. Now SDK commands]

{#now-sdk__table-now-sdk-commands}

A scaffolded project wraps the common ones as package.json scripts --- `pnpm dev`, `pnpm build`, `pnpm deploy`, `pnpm deploy:reinstall`,
`pnpm lint`. So day to day you run those instead of calling `now-sdk` directly. For the scaffold those scripts come from, see [Create your first Lux experience](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/Omt_TYN_ds8aW9NeBPABFw "Install the ServiceNow SDK toolchain, scaffold a new Lux application, and deploy your first app to your ServiceNow instance. This foundational workflow guides you through environment setup, local development, and deployment.").

Those are the only scripts a scaffolded app ships with. The `build:force`, `storybook`, `test`, and `typecheck` scripts exist only inside the Lux monorepo and won't be in your app's package.json.

## Reference documentation {#now-sdk__now-sdk-reference-documentation}

The SDK's own documentation covers the commands, now.config.json, and the Fluent language in depth.
{#now-sdk__table-now-sdk-documentation-resources__entry__2}

| Resource | URL |
|-|-|
| SDK documentation home | `https://servicenow.github.io/sdk/` |
| CLI reference | `https://servicenow.github.io/sdk/cli` |
| now.config.json reference | `https://servicenow.github.io/sdk/config/now-config-reference` |
| npm package | `https://www.npmjs.com/package/@servicenow/sdk` |
| Release notes | `https://github.com/servicenow/sdk/releases` |
[Table 2. SDK documentation resources]

{#now-sdk__table-now-sdk-documentation-resources}