Using source control in the ServiceNow IDE

  • Release version: Australia
  • Updated March 12, 2026
  • 2 minutes to read
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    Summary of Using Source Control in the ServiceNow IDE

    The ServiceNow IDE allows you to manage application changes across a development team using Git commands and source control features. This functionality is essential for maintaining organized development practices and collaboration among team members.

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    Key Features

    • Git Commands: You can execute various Git commands from the Source Control view or command palette, including:
      • Checkout: Switch between branches in the repository.
      • Clone: Add an application to your workspace by cloning a remote repository.
      • Commit: Save staged changes with a descriptive message.
      • Create Branch: Create and check out a new branch.
      • Discard: Undo modifications to an application.
      • Fetch: Sync commits and branches from the remote repository.
      • Pull: Merge updates from the remote repository into your local copy.
      • Push: Upload committed changes to the remote repository.
      • Stage: Prepare changes for committing.
      • Stash: Temporarily save uncommitted changes for later use.
    • Merge Conflicts: The IDE identifies conflicts between local and remote changes, allowing you to resolve them through the editor.
    • Commit History: View the history of commits for any branch, with options to compare changes using a Diff editor.
    • Update Remote Repository: Change the remote repository URL connected to your application using the command palette.

    Key Outcomes

    By utilizing source control in the ServiceNow IDE, customers can effectively manage application development, enhance collaboration, and minimize errors associated with changes. The clarity in commit history and the ability to resolve conflicts ensures a smoother development process, leading to increased productivity and more reliable application management.

    Use Git commands and other source control features in the ServiceNow IDE to manage changes to an application across a development team.

    Role required: admin

    Git commands

    After initializing a local Git repository in the ServiceNow IDE, you can perform several Git commands from the Source Control view (Source Control) or command palette, including but not limited to the following commands.

    Table 1. Git commands in the ServiceNow IDE
    Command Description
    Checkout to (More actions > Checkout to...)

    Command palette: Git: Checkout to...

    		 Check out another branch from the repository. Select the branch from the list or create a branch and push it to the remote repository.

    Only one branch per repository can be checked out at a time on an instance (or developer sandbox).
    Clone (More actions > Clone)

    Command palette: Git: Clone

    		 Clone a remote repository to add an application to your workspace.

    For more information, see Clone a Git repository with the ServiceNow IDE.
    Commit (Commit)

    Command palette: Git: Commit

    		 Commit your staged changes to the local repository. Enter a commit message to describe your changes.
    Create branch (More actions > Branch > Create branch...)

    Command palette: Git: Create branch...

    		 Add a branch to a repository and check it out.
    Discard (Discard Changes)

    Command palette: Git: Discard Changes

    		 Discard changes to undo modifications to an application.
    Fetch (More actions > Fetch)

    Command palette: Git: Fetch

    		Fetch to sync commits and branches from the remote repository into the local repository.
    Pull (More actions > Pull)

    Command palette: Git: Pull

    		Pull to merge the latest changes from the remote repository into the local repository.
    Push (More actions > Push)

    Command palette: Git: Push

    		Push your committed changes to the remote repository.
    Stage (Stage Changes)

    Command palette: Git: Stage Changes

    		 Stage the changes in your working directory that you want to commit. When you stage changes, files move from the Changes list to the Staged Changes list.
    Stash (More actions > Stash)

    Command palette: Git: Stash, Git: Pop, Git: Drop, Git: List, Git: Apply, Git: Clear

    		 Stash all uncommitted changes to save them in your working directory locally and come back to them later.

    The pop, drop, list, apply, and clear subcommands are supported when stashing. Select Stash > Apply to reapply your changes in your working directory.

    Merge conflicts

    If there’s a conflict between local and remote changes in a file, the file is listed under Merge conflicts in the Source Control view (Source Control). You can review conflicts in the editor and resolve them by accepting the current or incoming change, both, or manually editing the file.

    Commit history

    The commit history for a branch is listed in the Commits section of the Source Control view (Source Control) and includes details about the commits. To see the commit history for a file, navigate to the File Explorer view (File Explorer), select the file, and expand the Timeline section. When you select a commit, a Diff editor comparing the changes opens.

    Repository changes

    To update the remote repository an application is connected to, you can use the Git: Update remote origin command from the command palette and enter a different remote repository URL.