Building pro-code applications

  • Release version: Australia
  • Updated March 12, 2026
  • 4 minutes to read
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    Summary of Building pro-code applications

    This guide details how ServiceNow customers can create and manage custom applications from scratch using classic pro-code development tools. It highlights various development environments and scripting capabilities available on the ServiceNow AI Platform, enabling developers with different skill levels to efficiently build, customize, and deploy applications.

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    App Development Tools

    • ServiceNow Studio: A unified development environment for building and managing apps and app files. It integrates low-code tools, metadata editing for scoped and global apps, and packaging for deployment. Includes Build Agent for conversational app creation and updates.
    • ServiceNow IDE: A Visual Studio Code for the Web implementation on the ServiceNow AI Platform. Supports source code development of scoped applications, JavaScript modules, and third-party libraries. Includes Build Agent for conversational interactions.
    • ServiceNow SDK: Enables local development of scoped apps in Visual Studio Code Desktop with upload capabilities to ServiceNow instances. Supports JavaScript modules and third-party libraries.
    • ServiceNow Extensions for Visual Studio Code: Allow editing applications offline and within ServiceNow instances using the VS Code editor.

    Choosing the Right App Builder

    ServiceNow offers different builders tailored to users’ technical backgrounds and roles:

    • Creator Studio: No-code app building for process owners and line of business owners to create simple request-fulfillment apps.
    • App Engine Studio: Low-code tools for citizen developers to build a wider range of applications without coding.
    • ServiceNow Studio: Combines low-code and pro-code features for citizen and platform developers in a unified environment with tracking and packaging.
    • ServiceNow IDE and SDK: Full source code development environments for source code developers, supporting advanced coding, JavaScript modules, and third-party libraries.

    Scripting and Automation

    • Action Designer: Automates repeatable tasks in flows, allowing flow authors to add configurable actions across multiple flows.
    • Client-side scripting: JavaScript runs in the browser responding to events like form loading or field changes.
    • Server-side scripting: Runs on the server or database, influencing platform behavior or triggering business rules on data changes.
    • Now Assist for Code: AI-powered code generation to speed script writing based on prompts.
    • Now Code Editor: Rich-text editor supporting CSS, HTML, JavaScript, XML, and JSON for UI and script modifications in Next Experience UI Builder components.

    Core Platform Capabilities

    • Groups and Roles: Simplify user management and control access to features and applications.
    • Notifications: Manage system emails and inbound email responses.
    • UI Policies: Dynamically control form behaviors and custom process flows.
    • Plugins: Extend platform functionality with modular software components.
    • User Records: Maintain individual user information including credentials and contact details.

    Related Applications and Features

    • JavaScript APIs: Enable customization and extension of application functionalities.
    • UI Builder: Build web user interfaces for Customer Service Management, configurable workspaces, portals, and custom web experiences using Next Experience Components.

    ServiceNow customers can leverage these tools and capabilities to efficiently develop, customize, and automate applications tailored to their business needs, utilizing a spectrum of no-code, low-code, and pro-code options.

    Create and manage custom applications from scratch using classic pro-code tools.

    ServiceNow Studio
    Use ServiceNow Studio to build apps and app files with integrated tools, access and edit metadata in scoped and global apps, and package app changes for deployment, all in one powerful development tool.
    ServiceNow IDE
    ServiceNow IDE is an implementation of Visual Studio Code for the Web on the ServiceNow AI Platform. With the ServiceNow IDE, you can create and develop scoped applications in source code, create JavaScript modules, and use third-party libraries.
    ServiceNow SDK
    ServiceNow SDK enables developers to create scoped applications in source code locally in Visual Studio Code Desktop and upload changes to a ServiceNow instance. You can also use the ServiceNow SDK to create JavaScript modules and use third-party libraries.
    ServiceNow Extensions for Visual Studio Code

    The ServiceNow extensions for VS Code editor enables you to edit applications offline and within ServiceNow instances.

    Which app builder should I use?

    Use the following table to choose the app building experience that matches your role and technical background.

    Table 1. App builders
    Tool Users Features
    Creator Studio: Build an app without code. Process owners, line of business owners Build request-fulfillment apps without writing code.

    For example, create an application to request office supplies: a user fills out a form, and an approver accepts or denies the request. For more information, see Exploring Creator Studio.
    App Engine Studio: Build a range of apps using low-code tools. Citizen developers Build a broader range of apps than Creator Studio without writing code.

    For more information, see Exploring App Engine Studio.
    ServiceNow Studio: Build and deliver apps in a unified environment. Citizen developers, Platform developers Build apps in a unified development environment.

    ServiceNow Studio provides streamlined navigation, integrated low-code tools, and built-in tracking and packaging so you can develop and ship apps faster. Use Build Agent in ServiceNow Studio to create and update apps with a conversational interaction.

    For more information, see Exploring ServiceNow Studio and Build Agent in ServiceNow Studio.
    ServiceNow IDE and ServiceNow SDK: Build apps in source code. Source code developers Develop applications in source code with ServiceNow Fluent, create JavaScript modules, and use third-party libraries. ServiceNow Fluent is a domain-specific programming language for creating application metadata in code. Use Build Agent in ServiceNow IDE to create and update apps in source code with a conversational interaction.

    The ServiceNow IDE runs Visual Studio Code for the Web on the ServiceNow AI Platform. The ServiceNow SDK runs Visual Studio Code Desktop locally. For more information, see Building applications in source code.

    Scripting

    Action Designer
    Use Workflow Studio to automate a repeatable task within a flow as a sequence of related steps. Enable flow authors to add actions to multiple flows with minimal configuration.
    Client-side scripting
    Client scripts enable the system to run JavaScript on the client (web browser) when client-based events occur, such as when a form loads, after form submission, or when a field changes value.
    Now Assist for Code
    Now Assist for code generation allows developers to write scripts quickly with AI-generated code suggestions based on text or code prompts.
    Now Code Editor
    Now Code Editor provides a rich-text editor interface that supports Cascading Style Sheets (CSS), Hypertext Markup Language (HTML), JavaScript, Extensible Markup Language (XML), and JavaScript Object Notation (JSON). Use Now Code Editor to modify UI configuration, data resource configuration, styles, events, client-side and server-side scripts in Next Experience UI Builder components.
    Server-side scripting
    Server scripts run on the server or database. They can change the appearance or behavior of the ServiceNow AI Platform or run as business rules when records and tables are accessed or modified.

    Core functionality

    Groups

    Simplify user administration by assigning roles to groups. Any business rules, assignment rules, system roles, or attributes that refer to the group apply to all group members automatically.

    Notifications
    Use ServiceNow Notifications to manage system email, create system notifications, and configure how your system responds to inbound email.
    Roles
    Roles control access to features and capabilities in applications and modules. The admin role provides access to all features and capabilities.
    ServiceNow plugins
    Plugins are software components that provide specific features and functionalities within a ServiceNow instance.
    UI policies
    UI policies dynamically change the behavior of information on a form and control custom process flows for tasks.
    Users
    User records establish a relationship between an individual and your ServiceNow instance. User records consist of a user name, a password, and information relating to the individual, such as contact information, location, and job title.

    Related applications and features

    JavaScript APIs
    Use JavaScript APIs in scripts that you write to change the functionality of applications, or when you create new applications.
    UI Builder
    Use UI Builder to build web user interfaces for CSM Configurable Workspace, App Engine Studio generated workspaces and portals, or custom web experiences using Next Experience Components and custom web components.