HTML syntax editor

  • Release version: Zurich
  • Updated July 31, 2025
  • 2 minutes to read
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    Summary of HTML syntax editor

    The HTML syntax editor in ServiceNow supports editing both HTML and Jelly scripts, enabling you to define the content rendered on pages. It accommodates static XHTML or dynamic Jelly content and integrates with script includes and UI Macros.

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    Key Features

    • Syntax support: Provides syntax coloring, indentation, line numbering, and automatic closing of braces and quotes for HTML and Jelly scripts.
    • Auto-suggestions: Offers tag suggestions for HTML and Jelly to speed up coding.
    • Script macros: Contains shortcuts for commonly used code snippets.
    • Toggle editor: Ability to disable or enable the syntax editor interface.
    • Search and replace: Supports advanced search, find next/previous occurrences, and replace functions including regular expressions.
    • Commenting: Quickly comment or uncomment selected code.
    • Full screen editing: Expands the editor to full screen for easier editing (except in Internet Explorer).
    • Keyboard shortcuts: Includes numerous shortcuts for efficient editing, accessible via a help screen.

    Practical Editing Tips

    • Use Tab to insert fixed spaces or indent lines.
    • Select multiple lines and press Tab to indent all at once; use Shift+Tab to decrease indentation.
    • Click in the leading whitespace of a line and press Tab or Shift+Tab to adjust indentation precisely.

    Benefits for ServiceNow Customers

    This editor enhances your ability to create and maintain dynamic and static web content within ServiceNow with improved readability, error reduction, and faster code writing. The built-in search, replace, and commenting features streamline script management, while full-screen mode and keyboard shortcuts optimize your editing workflow.

    The HTML syntax editor provides support for editing HTML and Jelly scripts and defines what's rendered when the page is displayed. The HTML syntax editor can contain either static XHTML or dynamically generated content defined as Jelly, and can call script includes and UI Macros.

    The syntax editor has these features.
    • HTML and Jelly script support
    • HTML and Jelly syntax coloring, indentation, line numbers, and automatic creation of closing braces and quotes
    • Auto-suggestions for HTML and Jelly tags
    • Script macros for common code shortcuts
    Figure 1. HTML syntax editor
    Syntax editor for HTML and Jelly scripts.
    Table 1. HTML and Jelly editing functions
    Icon Keyboard shortcut Name Description
    Toggle syntax editor icon N/A Toggle syntax editor Disables the syntax editor. Click the Toggle syntax editor icon (Toggle syntax editor icon) again to enable the syntax editor.
    Toggle comment icon Cmd+/ Toggle comment Comments the selected code.
    Replace icon Cmd+E Replace Replaces the next occurrence of a text string in the script field.
    1. Click the Replace icon (Replace icon), then enter the string to replace, and press Enter. You can use regular expressions enclosed in slashes to define the string to replace. For example, the term /a{3}/ locates aaa.
    2. Enter the replacement string and press Enter.
    Replace all icon Cmd Replace All Replaces all occurrences of a text string in the script field.
    1. Click the Replace all icon (Replace all icon), then enter the string to replace and press Enter. You can use regular expressions enclosed in slashes to define the string to replace. For example, the term /a{3}/ locates aaa.
    2. Enter the replacement string and press Enter.
    Start searching icon Cmd+F Start Searching Highlights all occurrences of a search term in the script field and locates the first occurrence. Click the Start searching icon (Start searching icon), then enter the search term and press Enter.
    Find next icon Cmd+G Find Next Locates the next occurrence of the current search term in the script field. Click the Start searching icon (Start searching icon) to change the current search term.
    Find previous icon Cmd+Shift+G Find Previous Locates the previous occurrence of the current search term in the script field. Click the Start searching icon (Start searching icon) to change the current search term.
    Toggle full screen icon Ctrl+M Toggle Full Screen Expands the script field to use the full form view for easier editing. Click the Toggle full screen icon (Toggle full screen icon) again to return to standard form view. This feature is not available for Internet Explorer.
    Help icon Cmd+H Help Displays the keyboard shortcuts help screen.
    Save icon N/A Save Saves changes without leaving the current view. Click the Save icon (Save icon) in full screen mode to save without returning to standard form view.

    Editing tips

    • To insert a fixed space anywhere in your code, press Tab.
    • To indent a single line of code, click in the leading white space of the line and then press Tab.
    • To indent one or more lines of code, select the code and then press Tab. To decrease the indentation, press Shift+Tab.
    • To remove one tab from the start of a line of code, click in the line and press Shift+Tab.