ServiceNow Studio

ServiceNow Studio provides an Integrated Development Environment (IDE)-like interface for application developers to work on custom applications in one centralized location. It offers a simple way to create, review, and update application files from a tabbed environment.

The system opens Studio whenever you edit a custom application.

Capabilities

• Create an application and application artifacts.
• Perform code search.
• Integrate with source control.
• Create your company's customizations to store applications that belong to other organizations.
• Use Virtual Agent Designer to create and manage topics, which are blueprints for conversations between a virtual agent and a user. You can design topics that help your users resolve common work issues or guide them through self-service tasks.

Figure 1. Studio

With Studio, application developers can:

• See exactly what files comprise their application in the Application Explorer.
• Add new files to their application using a single Create Application File interface.
• Navigate to files using familiar search-by-name or by-type behavior with the Go To dialog.
• Find code both within and outside an application using the Code Search tool.
• Operate on multiple files at once using the tabbed interface.
• Operate on multiple applications at once using multiple studio windows.
• Publish their application to company instances or the ServiceNow Store.
• View information about their current application from the Status Bar.

Which builder should I use to create an app?

Figure 2. Types of builders

Want to build an app easily, without code?

Creator Studio is perfect for request-based apps. Think of requesting office supplies. You fill out a form to request a keyboard, and someone approves or denies your request. For more information, see Creator Studio: Creating applications without writing code.

Need a more general app but still want low-code options?

App Engine Studio lets you build a broader range of apps than Creator Studio without being a programming pro. For more information, see Build apps using App Engine Studio.

Are you a professional coder who wants complete control?

ServiceNow Studio is the most powerful tool, but it requires coding skills. Use this if you can’t build your app using the other options. For more information, see ServiceNow Studio.

Working with the Studio UI

Table 1. Parts of the Studio UI

UI element	Description
Header	Displays menus and controls.
File Menu	Contains a list of application-specific options. Create File Import From Source Control Create Application Publish Settings Switch Manage Developers Launch Script Debugger
Source Control Menu	Contains a list of source control options. Link To Source Control Edit Repository Configuration Apply Remote Changes Commit Changes Stash Local Changes Switch Branch Create Branch Create Tag Manage Stashes View History
Window Menu	Contains a list of tab management options. Close Current Tab Close All Tabs Close Other Tabs Close Unmodified Tabs
Search Menu	Contains a list of search options. Go To Code Search
User name	The header displays the name of current user.
Create Application File	Allows developers to add an application file to an application.
Go To	Search for application files by name or type.
Code Search	Search within application files for a text string. Search options include: Restrict search to a particular table Include all applications
Application Explorer	Displays a list of application files by type. Resize the Application Explorer to see more about application files or to provide more space for the content frame.
Collapse All	Collapses all nodes in the application explorer.
Expand All	Expand all nodes in the application explorer.
Data Model > Tables	A list of application tables. Click a table name to display and edit it in the content frame.
Access Control	A list of application access elements such as: Roles Access Controls Click a record name to display and edit it in the content frame.
Navigation	A list of application navigational elements such as: Application Menus Modules Application Menus (Mobile) Modules (Mobile) Click a record name to display and edit it in the content frame.
Content frame	Displays a detail form for each record in its own tabs.
Welcome to Studio	A list of keyboard shortcuts.
Tabs	Each tab contains a specific application file record identified by the record name and file type. Click a tab to display and edit the record. A tab with a blue circle icon indicates that the record contains unsaved changes.
Status Bar	Displays information about the application and the source control integration.
Application name	The status bar displays the name of the current application.
Application version	The status bar displays the current application version.
Total files	The status bar displays the total number of application files.
Unsaved files	The status bar displays the current number of application files with unsaved changes.
Source control integration status	The status bar displays an icon indicating the current status of the source control integration.

• Access ServiceNow Studio
  Application developers access ServiceNow Studio to create, import, or open applications.
• ServiceNow Studio keyboard shortcuts
  ServiceNow Studio supports various keyboard shortcuts to manage and edit application files.
• Add an application file to an application
  Studio allows application developers to add new application files by type.
• Publish an application from ServiceNow Studio when linked to Source Control
  You can publish a custom application from ServiceNow Studio when linked to Source Control.
• Search for an application file by name or type
  Application developers can use Studio to search for application files.
• Search within application files
  Studio allows application developers to search within application files for matching record values.
• Update a custom application record
  You can update a custom application record to add new features or change application functionality.
• Switch between applications
  Application developers can switch between applications without leaving the Studio environment.
• Global application file management
  Once you create a globally scoped application in the ServiceNow Studio, you can add existing globally scoped files to it, remove files from it, or move application files between global applications.
• Automatic recovery of draft records
  Studio can maintain a version of any open existing record with unsaved changes. Users can recover unsaved changes when their user session ends unexpectedly due to network latency, session timeout, or service interruption.
• Source Control integration
  Enable application developers to integrate with a Git Source Control repository. Save and manage multiple versions of an application from a non-production instance.

Related concepts

• Contextual development environment