Accessing Build Agent in ServiceNow Studio and the ServiceNow IDE

Build Agent is available in ServiceNow Studio (UI-first, declarative workflows) and the ServiceNow IDE (code-first, autonomous full-stack development).

You can watch a short video on how to access Build Agent in ServiceNow Studio.

Build Agent and sandboxes

Use Build Agent in an isolated development environment with Developer Sandboxes. Sandboxes provide parallel development for distributed developers, with isolated metadata and Git integration. For more information, see Developer Sandboxes.

Build Agent and PDIs

You can access Build Agent on a Personal Development Instance (PDI). Developers using PDIs get 25 prompts per instance per 30-day cycle.

PDIs are updated to match the latest Build Agent for a consistent experience across both personal and production-track instances. Developers testing and building on PDIs have access to the same capabilities available in production environments. For more information on PDIs, see Personal developer instance guide.

Handing off ServiceNow Otto conversations to Build Agent

You can continue a ServiceNow Otto conversation from another product in Build Agent without repeating your intent. When ServiceNow Otto detects that you want to build or modify an application, it creates a handoff record. ServiceNow Studio then uses that handoff record to open Build Agent with your conversation context already loaded.

The handoff record stores a versioned summary of the conversation and a reference to the full transcript. ServiceNow Studio reads the handoff record and opens Build Agent with the summary pre-filled as an editable prompt in the chat panel. When that happens, Build Agent doesn't run automatically. You must review and edit the pre-filled prompt before submitting it. The full ServiceNow Otto transcript is attached to the session so you can reference details from the original conversation that the summary doesn't include.

Note:

To use conversation handoff:

• You must have access to both ServiceNow Otto® and Build Agent.
• You must be working in ServiceNow Studio.
• You must be on Australia Patch 5 or later.

Build Agent environments

You can use Build Agent in both ServiceNow Studio and the ServiceNow IDE. Your choice depends on your role and workflow.

Table 1. Build Agent environments

Usage	ServiceNow Studio	ServiceNow IDE
Generally best for	ServiceNow AI Platform developers, app owners, admins, citizen developers, and business analysts	Developers who prefer using an IDE on platform, TypeScript, and ServiceNow Fluent workflows
Code approach	Metadata-driven (tables, fields, business rules, scripts); embedded Build Agent	ServiceNow Fluent DSL (.now.ts files), TypeScript, React
Deployment	System Update Sets; ServiceNow Studio package and install	ServiceNow SDK build, deploy, and install
UI creation	Forms, lists, workspaces (Next Experience), and catalog items	React UI pages and custom interfaces
Source control	System Update Sets; source control via linked repositories	Git built-in with branching
Local dev option	No; runs on the instance	Yes, VS Code with @servicenow/now-sdk

Opening Build Agent

When you open ServiceNow Studio or the ServiceNow IDE, the Build Agent should appear by default. If it doesn't appear, If the panel isn't open, select Open Build Agent from the status bar in the corner of your browser. You can also select the ServiceNow Otto icon in the application banner.

Note:

• Currently, only admins have permissions to use Build Agent.
• You must have the correct plugins installed to access Build Agent. For more information, see Install Build Agent.

Figure 1. Open Build Agent

Key differences between ServiceNow Studio and the ServiceNow IDE

Area	ServiceNow Studio	ServiceNow IDE
Primary style	UI-first, declarative, metadata-centric	Code-first, conversational, full-stack
Typical users	Low-code builders, admins	Pro-code developers
Interaction model	Guided steps with suggestions, diffs, and summaries; selectable modes (guided, batch, one-shot)	Chat-driven autonomous generation; user approves edits, then build and deploy
Scope of automation	Create or update platform metadata (tables, flows, experiences) with dependency awareness	Generate and edit entire scoped or global apps (UI and backend), explain or repair code, run queries, create documentation
Change control	Strong guardrails; preview via ServiceNow Studio diff surfaces	Approval gates before writing; build and deploy workflow in the ServiceNow IDE
Best fit	Iterative configuration, edits, low-code delivery	Greenfield app creation, deep refactors, debugging, multi-artifact edits
Dependencies	Uses the ServiceNow Studio agentic experience layer and metadata explorers	Relies on the ServiceNow IDE workspace, file and metadata explorers, and build pipeline

Note:

You can do conversational checkpoints with Build Agent and roll back to the last conversation checkpoint in both ServiceNow Studio and the ServiceNow IDE.

Build Agent is available in both ServiceNow Studio and the ServiceNow IDE, but each environment emphasizes a different development style. ServiceNow Studio provides a guided, UI-first experience that focuses on metadata creation and controlled, iterative changes. The ServiceNow IDE provides a code-first experience with an autonomous agent capable of generating and modifying full-stack applications through conversational prompts.

Choose the environment based on your skill set and the type of work:

• ServiceNow Studio: Low-code builders and admins who prefer declarative, metadata-driven workflows with previews, diffs, and guardrails.
• ServiceNow IDE: Pro-code developers who need conversational, code-centric generation, advanced customization, and end-to-end build and deploy steps.

Notes and limitations

Keep the following in mind when using Build Agent:

• Build Agent generates metadata supported by ServiceNow Fluent. Verify artifact compatibility before approval.
• Feature availability and UI details might differ between monthly releases. Confirm behavior against your instance version.

For more information on limitations, see Build Agent limitations.